Delhi: BJP CEC meets to finalise Karnataka candidates

The BJP's Central Election Committee on Sunday met to finalise the names of its candidates for Karnataka assembly elections slated to be held on May 12.

The CEC meeting held at party headquarters was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah besides the members of of the top party body which decides the names of the candidates.

The committee is likely to come out with the first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections.

"The contentious seats will invariably get finalised only on the last day, irrespective of any intention of consolidated single lists," a senior BJP leader, however, said on condition of anonymity.

BJP veterans, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, former Karnataka chief minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, were also present.

The Congress as well as the BJP expect to bring out their first list of candidates for the Karnataka assembly election by April 11, although nominations can be filed up to April 25.

The ruling Congress has completed two rounds of discussions, one for the seats that it did not win in 2013 and the second for the 122 that it did. Janata Dal (Secular) has already released the list of 126 candidates.

Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 225-member assembly. The results will be out on May 15.