<div align="justify">The JD(S) will release its first list of 105 candidates for the 2018 Legislative Assembly elections in the first week of February, the party’s state president H D Kumara-swamy said on Monday. Kumaraswamy told reporters after presiding over the core-committee meeting of the party that the JD(S) plans to hold a mammoth convention either in Bengaluru or Hubballi, where the names of the candidates will be announced.<div align="justify"><br />He said all the sitting legislators of the party, except the eight rebel MLAs who have been suspended for voting against the party candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections last year, will be given tickets to contest again. Kumaraswamy said one of the suspended legislators K Gopalaiah has sought pardon for violating the whip and the matter is being considered by the party’s disciplinary committee.<br /><br />He said candidates are being selected based on their rapport with the electorate, on how they should respond to the problems faced by the people, among others. Training programmes will also be conducted for potential candidates on how to face the polls and the election campaign, he added. The names will be finalised only after the approval of the core-committee.<br /><br />Kumaraswamy said JD(S) is in the process of consulting local party functionaries on finalising candidates for the Nanjangud and Gundluplet Assembly constituencies, byelections for which are likely to be announced soon.</div></div>
<div align="justify">The JD(S) will release its first list of 105 candidates for the 2018 Legislative Assembly elections in the first week of February, the party’s state president H D Kumara-swamy said on Monday. Kumaraswamy told reporters after presiding over the core-committee meeting of the party that the JD(S) plans to hold a mammoth convention either in Bengaluru or Hubballi, where the names of the candidates will be announced.<div align="justify"><br />He said all the sitting legislators of the party, except the eight rebel MLAs who have been suspended for voting against the party candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections last year, will be given tickets to contest again. Kumaraswamy said one of the suspended legislators K Gopalaiah has sought pardon for violating the whip and the matter is being considered by the party’s disciplinary committee.<br /><br />He said candidates are being selected based on their rapport with the electorate, on how they should respond to the problems faced by the people, among others. Training programmes will also be conducted for potential candidates on how to face the polls and the election campaign, he added. The names will be finalised only after the approval of the core-committee.<br /><br />Kumaraswamy said JD(S) is in the process of consulting local party functionaries on finalising candidates for the Nanjangud and Gundluplet Assembly constituencies, byelections for which are likely to be announced soon.</div></div>
