The Bharatiya Janata Party has almost finalised its first list of candidates for around 110 constituencies for the Assembly elections.
According to sources in the party, the proposed list has mostly the names of its MLAs. “Almost all MLAs’ names are there in the proposed list of candidates,” a leader said, while pointing out that the BJP presently has 106 MLAs in its fold.
Before formally announcing the first list of candidates, the party will send it to its Central Election Committee for clearance.
After getting the nod, the names would be made public, sources said. According to them, this process may take some more time.
After completing the formalities related to the first list — that mostly pertains to constituencies which the party won in the last Assembly elections — the BJP leadership wants to take up the process of selecting candidates for another 90 constituencies in which the party had lost.
The ruling party is keen to complete the process of selection of candidates for all the constituencies before the election code of conduct comes into force.
Meanwhile, the BJP is holding a meeting of its leaders here on March 20 to review its poll preparations in the 28 Assembly constituencies in and around Bangalore city. The meeting is also expected to finalise the names of candidates for these constituencies.
After this, the party has scheduled a series of district-level conventions from March 22. All top leaders of the party, including Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, would participate in the conventions, being held as part of the party’s poll campaign, the sources said.
New State unit chief
The party central leadership is expected to announce the new State unit president before the start of the district conventions. According to the sources, the name is likely to be announced any time now.The post is vacant after Deputy Chief Minister K. S. Eshwarappa resigned in tune with the “one man, one post” norm of the party.
According to sources, there is a possibility of Mr. Eshwarappa himself being asked by the party central leadership to continue till the Assembly polls are held. If the central leadership wants to have a new president, then Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi may be preferred for the job, the sources added.
