As many as seventy-three candidates will contest the December 27 byelections in the eight Karnataka assembly constituencies, chief electoral office sources said in Bangalore.
"As the deadline set for the process ended today 41 persons withdrew their candidature," the sources said.
"While two withdrew nominations yesterday, 39 others did today," they said.
Madhugiri assembly segment where Anita, wife of former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, is making her debut into active politics, has 25 candidates in fray requiring deployment of two EVMs for voting.
Maddur, where D C Thammanna defected from the Congress to the BJP, has 12 contestants, followed by Devadurga (10), seven each in Turuvekere, Doddaballapur (6), Hukkeri (3), Arabhavi and Karwar five each throwing up a triangular contest between the ruling BJP, the Congress and the JD(S).
The BJP, which "poached" seven MLAs from the Congress and the JD(S), has been making all out efforts to win maximum of the seats and to gain majority on its own in the 224-member state assembly where currently it has a deficit of three seats for simple majority of 113.
In Maddur, the bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting JD(S) MLA M S Siddaraju.
{{/usCountry}}In Maddur, the bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting JD(S) MLA M S Siddaraju.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress is straining every sinew to retain at least Karwar, Turuvekere and Doddaballapur seats, where it won in the May assembly elections.
The JD(S), which suffered most due to defections losing four MLAs, is also trying its best to upset the BJP's calculations though its efforts to forge a poll pact with the Congress failed to materialise.