From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 10: Two crucial by-elections to the State Legislative Assembly constituencies of Nanjangud and Gundlupet are slated to be held on April 9.

The two assembly by-elections will be the most crucial and key electoral contests ahead of next year’s State Assembly elections in Karnataka.

The last date for withdrawal nominations is March 24 and the polling will be held on April 9. Counting of votes in both constituencies will be on April 13. The Nanjangud seat fell vacant after the resignation of veteran Congress leader V Srinivas Prasad in December 2016.

Srinivas Prasad was miffed with the Congress after he was dropped from the Siddaramaiah Cabinet and finally joined the BJP.

The opposition BJP has already named the former Congress minister as its candidate. The ruling Congress party has named KalaleKeshavamurthy , who narrowly lost to Srinivas Prasad while contesting from the JD(S).

The Gundlupet seat fell vacant after the death of former minister H C Mahadeva Prasad on January 3.

Mahadeva Prasad was the Minister of Cooperation and Sugar in the Siddaramaiah cabinet. The ruling Congress party has named the former minister’s wife Dr M C Mohana Kumari as its candidate.

The model code of conduct in Mysuru and Chamarajanagara districts will come into effect immediately.

The Election Commission has, however, modified its earlier order with regard to the model code of conduct and has decided that all instructions of the Commission regulating the implementation of schemes, announcement and commencement of new projects, et al and financial grants will be applicable only to the areas falling under the Assembly constituency and not the entire district.