File Picture Courtesy : Hindustan Times
As both the BJP and Congress are campaigning in full steam for the up- coming Assembly polls in 2018, The Election Commission has finally Announced the dates.
Karnataka will go to the polls May 12 in a single phase election. Counting will be held on May 15.
Notification for the polls will be out on April 17, last date of filing nomination is April 24. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on April 25.
Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat addressing a press conference announced the schedule for the 224-member Karnataka assembly polls. VPAT machines, apart from EVMs, will be deployed in Karnataka for the polls.
The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect from today, the CEC says. The last state elections were held in the first week of May in 2013.
The BJP is making a concerted bid to unseat the Congress. Besides, the Congress and the BJP, the JD(S) led by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda is the third player in the fray.
For the Congress it is litmus test. With most of the states going the saffron way in the recent polls in the North East, retaining Karnataka will be big challenge for the party. Nothing less than a victory will boost the morale of the congress workers. A loss here could dent their 2019 attempt to thwart the BJP led government from returning to power the Centre.
Three other states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh later this year. All ruled by BJP.
