BJP to release first list of candidates for elections in Karnataka

New Delhi, Apr 10 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka will announce the first list of candidates for the state Assembly elections this evening.

The party is likely to field several new faces for seats that go to polls in the first phase on May 10.

BJP's state president D.V. Sadananda Gowda said, on Wednesday in Bangalore, that he would be leaving for New Delhi with a list of 160 candidates to consult the party's Central Election Committee, which is meeting in here to finalise the candidates for the first phase of polls.

The issues of seat-sharing arrangement with the Janata Dal (United) and the draft of the poll manifesto will be discussed in the meeting.

According to party sources, around a dozen seats are to be given to JD (U).

Leaders like Basavraj Bommai, son of JD (U)'s founder president S R Bommai, and B N Bacchegowda who have recently joined the BJP, are likely to get tickets, party sources said.

The BJP had in the last election allotted 25 seats to the JD (U), which could win only five.

BJP's state leadership is against any seat-sharing arrangement with the JD (U), but the central leadership is of the view that the key National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally should be accommodated.

The party has already promised to give free power supply to farmers besides ensuring credit to all farmers at four per cent interest rate if voted to power.

ANI