BENGALURU: Hectic lobbying has begun for tickets by aspirants from all major political parties for contesting the Bruhat Bangalore Mahangara Palike (BBMP) elections.
The BJP, which was in power in the BBMP, is likely to announce its list on Tuesday while Congress might take another four days to announce its list.
On Monday, several ministers held talks with ticket aspirants from the wards in each of their assigned Assembly constituencies.
The JD(S) too is set to announce its candidates in the next couple of days.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy told reporters that said the Congress would fight the polls on the plank that the BJP had failed in its administration during its previous term in the BBMP. “BJP’s scams will be our poll agenda,” he said.
Former deputy chief minister R Ashok (BJP) blamed the Congress government for “the mess in Bengaluru”. “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is in a slumber,” he said.
JD(S) city president Ratan Singh said party national president H D Deve Gowda would take the final decision on distribution of tickets in wards where there is intense competition.
KPCC president G Parameshwara said the party had received applications for tickets from 850 candidates. Over 1,400 aspirants had purchased applications from the KPCC.
Parameshwara said a team of observers would visit the 198 wards on Tuesday before finalising a list of probable candidates. The final list is expected to be announced by weekend.
The party has appointed 16 spokespersons for the polls who will issue statements to the media and take part in panel discussions. They include BK Chandrashekhar, KR Ramesh Kumar, BL Shankar, Dinesh Gundurao, ST Somashekhar, MV Rajeev Gowda, VR Sudarshan, GC Chandrashekhar, KE Radhakrishna, N A Haris, M Ramachandrappa, PR Ramesh, J Huchappa, Rizwan Arshad, R Manjuala Naidu and Diwaker K.