Karnataka polls: KJP releases first list of candidates

Bangalore, March 21: The Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) headed by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday released its first list of 69 candidates for the May 5 Assembly polls.

Beating the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress in the move, Yeddyurappa told reporters that he will fight from his traditional Shikaripura constituency in Shimoga district.

The former Chief Minister's trusted lieutenant Shobha Karandlaje, whose name figures in the list announced a day after the Election Commission declared the single phase poll schedule, will contest from Rajajinagar in Bangalore.

Out of the 69 candidates, three are women, 14 belong to the SC and eight to the ST, besides three Muslims and a Christian, Yedurappa said.

The Congress, the BJP and the JDS are still engaged in the process of selecting candidates.

KJP will not have truck with any other party and will contest all 224 Assembly seats, said Yeddyurappa, whose party did damage to the BJP in the recently concluded Urban Local Bodies polls, but failed to make a mark on its own.

"I am confident that the party will gain majority," he said.

KJP is in touch with pro-Kannada and various other organisations fighting for the cause of state's land, water and farmers, he said adding, "We have had three rounds of talks with these organisations and they have expressed their eagerness to join hands with us."

The process is on and the second list of candidates will be announced soon, Yeddyurappa said.

Asked when other BJP ministers and legislators, apart from those who had already joined hands with him, are expected to join the KJP, Yeddyurappa added, "wait and watch."

PTI