AAP Karnataka announces 3rd list of candidates

Bengaluru, April 10 (IANS) The AAP's Karnataka unit on Monday announced the third list of candidates for the May 10 Assembly polls.

This list contains 28 names and all the candidates are contesting the polls for the first time.

In a statement, the party claimed that not only has it announced the most number of candidates till date, but has offered the people an honest choice in 168 Assembly seats out of 224 constituencies.

AAP has the most number of farmers, youth, women and educated professionals amongst all parties, the statement said.

"The criteria used to decide the winnability of our candidates is their integrity and their intent to serve rather than their money or muscle power.

"People of Karnataka are fed up with the existing three traditional parties and wanted an alternative, this is what AAP is offering a real change.

"The average age of our candidates is 47 year. A total number of 16 farmers, 13 women, 18 advocates, 10 doctors, 10 engineers have been given tickets. Candidates with Doctorates are five and those with with Masters degrees are 41, while graduates are 82.

"We will fight the upcoming elections on the virtues of our candidates and the work that our party has done in Delhi and is doing in Punjab.

"We seek an opportunity to deliver the same pro-people governance and are confident that people of Karnataka will bless our candidates with their support and votes," the party statement added.

The AAP's state media coordinator, Jagadish V. Sadam said: "The supposed grand old party -- Congress -- and the world's supposed largest party -- BJP -- are clearly nervous about the AAP's entry in Karnataka. They fear that their years of loot politics will come to an end and are trying to use their money and muscle power to damage AAP's campaign by threatening and attempting to bribe our candidates."