Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Oct 11: Election Commission (EC) sources said, that the comission is gearing up to hold the by-election for filling up the eight vacant assembly seats in the state, and is expected to issue notification in this connection, shortly. The election is expected to be held in the last week of November.

The eight assembly constituencies which will go to polls are, Hukkeri, Madhugiri, Karwar, Maddur, Turuvekere, Doddaballapur, Devadurga and Arabhavi. The by-election is necessiated due to the resignation of seven MLAs, four beonging to the Congress and three from the JD(S), who crossed over to the BJP after getting elected. Maddur seat has fallen vacant due to the demise of the JD(S) MLA Siddaraju.

It may be recalled, that the JD(S) had initially shown interst in striking an alliance with the Congress for humbling the BJP at the hustings, but the Congress had cold-shouldered the move, forcing JD(S) surpemeo Deve Gowda to announce that the party would go it alone. Now, Congress is making some overtures towards its one-time coalition partner, saying that secular forces should unite to defeat the communal party.