Karnataka elections: Congress releases list of 218 candidates, CM Siddaramaiah to contest from Chamundeshwari

The list also includes the names of some state ministers as party candidates for the polls.

According to an India Today Group-Karvy Insights opinion poll, Congress will emerge as the single largest party in the elections scheduled for May 12. The survey has also predicted a hung Assembly in Karnataka. The Congress, which had secured 37 per cent vote in 2013 to win 122 seats, is likely to retain its vote share but it will win less number of seats. The Congress is projected to win 90-101 seats with the same vote percentage.

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According to the opinion poll, BJP will gain in terms of vote share but that would not be enough to form the government in the state and oust the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. The opinion poll results show that 35 per cent of the voters (based on 27,919 interviews) will vote for the saffron party. The BJP is expected to improve its seat tally from 50 (after merger of KJP and BSRCP) to 78-86 as per the poll.

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Last week, the BJP had announced 74 names for the first list of candidates.

The last date for filing the nominations for the 224 constituencies is April 24, while April 27 is the last date of withdrawal of candidature. Results will be declared on May 15.