With the Election Commission making it clear that the next assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh would take place before May, political parties have begun choosing candidates for the electoral battle.

While the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party have begun choosing candidates, the ruling Samajwadi Party has gone one step ahead.

Party president and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has directed party workers to form booth committees and fan out to villages to apprise the people of various welfare measures taken by the state government

Yadav has virtually launched his party's election campiagn at various functions being held in different parts of the state. The opposition parties have criticised Yadav, alleging that he is converting a government function into a party rally.

The BJP has already prepared a tentative list of candidates for a majority of seats, said party veteran and leader of the opposition Lalji Tandon. He said that women and youth would be given preference as candidates.

The party has also launched its poll preparations by forming booth committees and chalking out visits to different parts of the state by its senior leaders.

The Congress, too, has started identifying candidates. Observers were sent to different parts and cities to hold parleys with district leaders and they have filed their reports to help select the panel of candidates for each seat, party sources said.

The Congress launched its election campaign last month by holding a massive rally at Kanpur, which was addressed, among others, by party president Sonia Gandhi [Images] and her MP-son Rahul Gandhi [Images].

State Congress leaders are eager to see Rahul plunge headlong into politics and help the party regain its lost glory.

The Bahujan Samaj Party had declared a list of its candidates last month but later withdrew it. BSP leader Mayawati has been visiting the state at regular intervals and has directed party workers to ensure that its committed voters turn out on the day of the polling.

The BSP has also been holding Brahmin sammelans to woo the community to expand its social and electoral constituencies.