The nominations filed for the Urban Local Body elections slated for March 7 shows that nearly a third of contestants are independents.
As many as 31,195 candidates have filed nominations for 4,976 wards across the State. Of these 10,599 are independent candidates. This is an indication that many political parties are facing the heat of rebellion and the rebels are filing nominations as independents.
The nominations are now being processed and the last date for withdrawing nominations is February 27, when a clearer picture will emerge.
Saturday being the last date to file nominations, nominations filed by political parties are as follows:
Congress (6,956), Bharatiya Janata Party (5,716), Janata Dal-Secular (5,046), Karnataka Janata Paksha (2,345), Badavara Shramikara Raithara (BSR)Congress (1,690), Bahujan Samaj Party (83), Communist Party of India (49), Communist Party of India (Marxists) (134), Nationalist Congress Party (73), Janata Dal (United) (107), Samajwadi Party (18), Akhila Bharata Pragatipara Janata Dal (4), Raitha Sangha (2), Janata Paksha (25), Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha (18), Communist Party of India (Marxists-Leninists) (3), Republican Party of India (23), Bharatiya Praja Paksha (23), Welfare Party of India (35), Social Democratic Party of India (203), Rashtriya Janata Dal (7) and Rani Chennamma Party (3).
‘Convince rebels’
All the political parties have directed their local units to convince rebel candidates and cajole them to withdraw nominations on behalf of official candidates.
