JD(S) to finalise Assembly candidates for 150 seats early next year

Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said the party will finalise candidates for 150 Assembly constituencies in the State early next year.

Speaking to reporters after paying a visit to the house of a party worker in Gundathur village in H.D. Kote near here, who had died, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the announcement of the party candidates will help organise the party and party workers. Already, the matter had been discussed with senior party leaders at a meeting.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the BJP is unlikely to reap any benefits in the gram panchayat polls from its Gram Swarajya programme that envisages holding conventions in the taluks. For, the gram panchayat polls are not held on party lines and the candidates do not fight elections on party symbols. Two or three persons from the same party can fight the elections for the same seat. There have been instances of two persons from the same family contesting against each other in the gram panchayat elections, he said. Gram panchayat elections are fought on local issues and hence an appeal will be made to JD (S) workers to remain united in the elections.

GTD IN JD(S)

Mr. Kumaraswamy also clarified that former Minister G.T. Deve Gowda is still in the JD(S). He said Mr. Gowda had himself made it clear.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said there was nothing amiss if Mr. Gowda were to share the dais with BJP leaders in government programmes.