Parties wrestle with candidates list for Karna assembly polls

Facing hectic lobbying and intra-group pressures, ruling BJP in Karnataka and its main rival Congress today continued to wrestle with the lists of probable candidates for the May five Assembly polls.
As BJP went through the exercise here, state Congress leaders, including KPCC President G Parameshwar, were camping in Delhi looking for a direction from the party high command.
Karnataka BJP President Prahlad Josi said the party was continuing its "home work" and would complete the process of finalising the candidates by March 28 or 29.
Joshi, who last week took over as state BJP chief, said most of the sitting MLAs would get tickets. Once the list is prepared here, it would be sent to central leadership for its approval.

BJP's exercise comes even as it is facing a dilemma over certain fence-sitters who are expected to desert the party and join hands with former party strongman and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Deputy Chief Ministers R Ashok and K S Eshwarappa and party General Secretary H N Ananth Kumar were engaged in the selection process.
For Congress which is hoping to stage a comeback to power, it has been a tough exercise with ticket aspirants flocking to Delhi in droves and putting pressure to stake their claim. The leaders too are lobbying hard for their candidates.

Yeddyurappa-led KJP has announced the first list of candidates while another key player JD(S) is expected to come out with its names by month-end.