The Election Commission of India will announce the schedule for Karnataka assembly elections today, news agency ANI reported.

The term of the 224-member Karnataka assembly ends on May 28 this year.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is seeking to wrest control of the southern state from the Congress and has already declared former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate.

The ruling Congress is going to polls under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in its bid to retain its hold over the state.

Karnataka is the only big state, besides Punjab, which is now ruled by the Congress.

The Janata Dal-Secular, which is the third force in the state, has announced its pre-poll tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party.