BJP, Congress list by March 12
The two major political parties in the State –– the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, will come out with their list of candidates for the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections by March 12.
While the BJP will release the list on the night of March 11, the Congress will release the list on March 12.
“We will release the list at the stroke of midnight on March 11-12. We have already identified candidates for 120 wards and are close to deciding on 30 more candidates. By March 11, we will take the decision on the remaining 48 seats,” said Transport Minister R Ashok who also is the in-charge minister for Bangalore.
He said, the party will give chance to greenhorns and about 90 per cent of the candidates will be youth.
When asked if there is any dilemma, confusion or any infighting over the selection of candidates, the minister said there is no room for such things in the BJP.
“In fact, in 150 wards we have chosen one candidate in each ward. For the remaining 48 seats we are identifying people. There is nothing like infighting in the BJP,” the minister stated.
He denied that the party is projecting anyone as mayoral candidate in this election.
On the other hand, the Congress leadership too is working closely to get the list of candidates ready by March 12.
“We will come out with the list of candidates in the next three-four days. In the most likelihood our list will be out by March 12,” said sources in the Congress party.
Meanwhile, as many as eight candidates filed 15 nominations on Tuesday. There were at least two persons from the political parties, while the others are independent, said sources in the State Election Commission.
HC dismisses petition on poll date
The High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by the All India Shwethambari Jain Samajhas seeking to postpone the elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to be held on March 28, since Mahaveer Jayanthi falls on the same day.
The petitioners said March 28 has been declared as a national holiday owing to Mahaveer Jayanthi, and the community could not exercise their franchise on that day.
They had sought either to postpone the polls on March 29 or advance it to March 27.
The division bench comprising Justice Gopalagowda and Justice B S Patil has dismissed the petition saying that it cannot interfere with the election process.
The Court cited various judgements in connection with the Gujarat and Ahmedabad polls and dismissed the petition saying the election process had begun following the directions of the High Court.
The petitioners are given liberty to approach the Election Commission with their request, it said.
