Political parties preparing ground ahead of Karnataka assembly polls

The high command of the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress top brass have already visited the state's nook and corner and held a series of meeting with party leaders.

Bengaluru: Political parties have kicked off preparations for the state assembly elections in Karnataka scheduled for next year. Besides heavyweights, parties that don't have a strong presence in Karnataka or are non-existent have also kept an eye on the Karnataka Assembly elections and are engaging in pre-election activities.

The high command of the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress top brass have already visited the state's nook and corner and held a series of meeting with party leaders. The Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP High Command have already visited the state in the first week of April and held core committee meetings of the party directing the cadres to set up the ground for the polls.

Rahul Gandhi also visited the state and held a meeting with the state Congress leaders. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP is also keeping an eye on the Karnataka election. Last week Pawar visited Bangalore and inaugurated his party office in Banaswadi. He held a rally at Devanahalli as well. Meanwhile, bolstered by the recent landslide victory in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party is also keen to enter Karnataka politics.

A few days ago Delhi Chief Minister visited Bengaluru where he participated in the farmers' conference and announced contesting the assembly elections. The AAP got a shot in the arm after the former Bangalore police commissioner took retirement from police services and joined the party while farmer's Union President Kodihalli Chandrasekhar also joined the AAP.

The ruling BJP, opposition Congress and JDS leaders have travelled across the state to assess their respective parties' strengths. Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai, Nalin Kumar Kateel and former chief minister Jagdish Shetter toured the state recently while many projects are also being launched. Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, KPCC President DK Sivakumar, former DCM Parameshwar and Congress Campaign Committee Chairman MB Patil are on tour to tell people about the "failures and mismanagement" of Chief Minister Bommai led Government.

The JDS is also engaged in party strengthening and pre-election campaigns in the wake of the elections. Kumaraswamy has toured the state under the 'Janata Jaladhare' to campaign against the BJP and the Congress and appealed to people to support the regional party Janata Dal-Secular. Several senior leaders from the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda, have visited Karnataka on several occasions in the context of state elections. Congress leaders in the Congress High Command, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders of the Congress High Command will set the stage for pre-election rallies, according to Congress sources.