Bengaluru: The JD(S) core committee authorised party president H.D. Deve Gowda to take a decision on the final selection of candidates for the 2018 Assembly elections. A meeting chaired by Mr Gowda resolved to appeal to the party chief to finalise the list soon to enable candidates to start campaigning early. The committee decided to field candidates in all the 224 Assembly seats.
The meet decided to constitute the party election manifesto committee headed by ex-IAS officer Dr Subramanya, with MLC K.T. Srikantegowda and former minister A.H. Vishwanath as members. Many felt separate manifestos should be prepared for the state and Bengaluru. Mr Gowda is likely to decide on it after consulting state JD(S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy.
The committee asked legislators to work hard to see that the party comes to power without the help of other parties. The meeting wanted the leaders to tour all the assembly segments to strengthen booth-level committees and boost the morale of party workers. Both Mr Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy spoke in unison on the use of ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines in the assembly polls. Mr Gowda said he has been opposing the use of EVMs for many years and written to the Election Commission. Now, many parties, including the Congress, have expressed doubt.
