K'taka: Congress predicts snap poll, identifying candidates

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 are already on the job. "Simultaneously, our process is also on (in identifying candidates)," he told the media. "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 Bharatiya Janata Party following the rift between former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, who is making vigorous behind-the-scene efforts to stage a comeback and its state unit president K S 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, would tour five districts from January 9. 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 H K Patil, Roshan Baig, V R Sudarshan and H C Mahadevappa to visit Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha seat, just vacated by Chief Minister D V 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 per cent of the budget allocation, while it should have been 80 per cent by now. He demanded that the chief minister should come out with details of funds spent in the current financial year. "The state's financial system has collapsed," he alleged.