Congress expects snap poll in Karnataka, hunts for candidates

Bangalore: The opposition Congress in Karnataka will complete the process of identifying probable candidates in 150 assembly segments in the state by March-end in anticipation of a snap poll this year. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President G Parameshwara said observers from All India Congress Committee (AICC) are already on the job.[caption id=“attachment_171121” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Getting poll ready. PTI”] [/caption] “Simultaneously, our process is also on (in identifying candidates)”, he told reporters. “We are paying attention to 150 constituencies (of the total 224 in the state). If you watch current political developments closely, elections in 2012 are inevitable”, he said,obviously referring to rumblings in the ruling BJP following the rift between former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who is making vigorous behind the scene efforts to stage a comeback and its state unit president KS Eshwarappa. The Congress currently has 71 members in the Assembly. Next elections are due in the middle of next year. Parameshwara also said AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Madhusudan Mistry, Leaders of Opposition in the Assembly and Council Siddaramaiah and Motamma respectively, besides himself, will tour five districts from 9 January. During the four-day trip, aimed at strengthening the party organisation and preparing for assembly elections, they would visit districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shimoga and Chikmagalur. In addition, the party has constituted a four-member committee, comprising HK Patil, Roshan Baig, VR Sudarshan and HC Mahadevappa to visit Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha seat, just vacated by Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, consult local leaders and come out with a list of probable candidates within a week for the by-poll there. Parameshwara alleged that the Karnataka government was able to spend only 50 to 60 percent of the budget allocation, while it should have been 80 percent by now. He demanded that the chief minister come out with details of funds spent in the current financial year. “The state’s financial system has collapsed,” he alleged. PTI