16,000 candidates in fray for urban local body elections

Bangalore, Sep 21 (UNI) A record number of over 16,000 candidates were in fray for September 28 urban local body elections to 208 bodies in the state after withdrawal of nominations ended today.

Major political parties like BJP, Congress and the Janata Dal(S) were involved in a stiff fight for more than 4400 seats .

As many as 80 candidates were elected unopposed.

The maximum number of 1361 contestants were in the fray for the Belgaum City Corporation.

The three political parties have decided to support candidates from pro-Karnataka organisations in the border city in a bid to defeat Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), which was supporting for merger of Belgaum with Maharashtra.

UNI