The Janata Dal (Secular), which has begun preparations for the next general Assembly elections in Karnataka, will announce its first list of candidates by May-end or the first week of June.
JD(S) State president H.D. Kumaraswamy told presspersons on Thursday that the party had shortlisted candidates for around 120 Assembly constituencies.
“The shortlisted candidates have been informed about them being chosen for the party ticket and have been asked to begin preparations,” he said.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said the formal announcement would be made through a mega convention of farmers in Hubballi. He said the party was working with a renewed focus on north Karnataka, and planned to win at least 45 seats from the region. The initial plan was to hold the farmers’ convention in Bengaluru, he said.
Clarifying that JD(S) would not align with other political parties in the Assembly election, he said candidates would be fielded in all 224 constituencies. Negating reports about JD(S) having a soft corner for the Congress, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he would appeal to party workers not to pay heed to such rumours. To a query, he said he was ready to contest from a constituency in north Karnataka if the situation demanded.
