Cong prepared to face elections: Siddaramaiah on K'taka polls

MYSURU: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Wednesday welcomed the Election Commission's decision to hold a single-phase Assembly election in Karnataka on May 10, and said that his party was prepared for the polls.

Accusing the ruling BJP of making the election system corrupt, the former Chief Minister said he hoped that the Election Commission would conduct free and fair elections.

''We had expected that the elections would be declared yesterday or today....I welcome that this election is happening in a single phase,'' Siddaramaiah told reporters.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi today, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the notification for the elections to the 224-member Assembly would be issued on April 13 and that the last date for filing nomination papers would be April 20.

Kumar said the nomination papers would be scrutinised on April 21 and that the last date for withdrawal of nominations would be April 24. Poll results will be declared on May 13.

Siddaramaiah, while noting that the Model Code of Conduct had come into force, accused the ruling BJP of spending up to Rs 50 crore in the by-elections earlier.

''BJP has made the election system corrupt. They have started Operation Lotus, they spend lots of money. The Election Commission should conduct the election in a free and fair manner. We hope they will do it,'' the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly said.