(With PTI inputs)
The process of filing nomination papers began on 13 April and ended on 20 April, while the last day for withdrawal of candidature is 24 April.
Published Apr 21, 2023 | 3:08 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 21, 2023 | 3:36 PM
DK Suresh has filed his papers as a "backup plan" in the event of his brother Shivakumar's nomination getting rejected. (Twitter)
The frenzy in the run-up to the 10 May Assembly elections in Karnataka went up a notch as Thursday, 20 April, came to a close.
Over 3,600 candidates filed a total of 5,102 nominations for the upcoming polls till Thursday — the last day for filing the papers — with the documents set to be scrutinised on Friday, election officials said.
The process of filing nomination papers began on 13 April with the election notification being issued.
The scrutiny of nominations will take place today and the last day for withdrawal of candidature is 24 April.
Voting will be in a single phase across the state on 10 May and the counting of votes is scheduled for 13 May.
The South First-Peoples Pulse pre-poll survey — carried out between 25 March and 10 April — has predicted a fractured mandate in Karnataka.
South First-Peoples Pulse pre-poll survey also shows that Congress leader Siddaramaiah is the popular choice as chief minister.
South First published its first tracker poll in January this year in which the Congress was projected to emerge as the single-largest party in a tight contest.
The pre-poll survey carried out by People’s Pulse for South First in Karnataka projects the Congress will win 98 seats within a range of 95 to 105 seats, making it the single-largest party.
The incumbent BJP is projected to win 92 seats within a range of 90 to 100 seats.
The projection of the performance of the two national parties shows that the contest could be closer than initially assessed.
Of the total nominations, 4,710 were filed by 3,327 male candidates and 391 nominations were by 304 female candidates.
One nomination has been filed by an “other gender” candidate, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka said in a statement late on Thursday night.
It said that 707 nominations were filed by candidates who identified themselves with the BJP, 651 with the Congress, 455 with the JD(S), and the rest from other smaller parties and Independents.
According to the officials, one candidate may file up to four nominations.
On Thursday, the sixth and last day for filing of the papers, 1,934 nominations were filed by 1,691 candidates, including several prominent leaders.
There have been some interesting developments in the filing. For example, KPCC chief DK Shivakumar’s brother DK Suresh filed nomination papers from where his sibling was contesting.
However, Congress sources said Suresh filed his papers as a backup plan in the event of Shivakumar’s nomination getting rejected.
In a surprise move just hours before the deadline for filing of nominations, Congress MP from Bangalore Rural DK Suresh entered the fray from the Kanakapura segment, from where his elder brother and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar is the party’s candidate.
ಆನೇಕಲ್ ವಿಧಾನಸಭಾ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಅಭ್ಯರ್ಥಿಯಾದ ಬಿ.ಶಿವಣ್ಣನವರ ನಾಮಪತ್ರ ಸಲ್ಲಿಕೆಗೆ ಇಂದು ಜೊತೆಯಾಗಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಮತಗಳ ಅಂತರದ ಗೆಲುವು ಅವರದಾಗಲಿ ಎಂದು ಹಾರೈಸಿದೆನು. pic.twitter.com/iAEuhN4iwo
— DK Suresh (@DKSureshINC) April 19, 2023
According to several Congress functionaries, Suresh has filed his papers as a “backup plan” in the event of Shivakumar’s nomination getting rejected.
In Hassan, JD(S) candidate HP Swaroop filed his nomination with the backing of the entire family of former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda.
BJP candidate from Shivamogga, SN Channabasappa, whose ticket was announced on Wednesday night by the party, filed his papers in the presence of senior leader and sitting MLA KS Eshwarappa, who has announced retirement from electoral politics.
Accompanied by independent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh and Minister CN Ashwath Narayan, the BJP candidate from Mandya, Ashok Jayaram, filed his nomination papers.
According to reports, Congress working president Satish Jarkiholi filed his nomination from Yamakanmardi in Belagavi district. Minister Shashikala Jolle filed her papers from her traditional seat of Nippani in the district, accompanied by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
ನಿಪ್ಪಾಣಿ ವಿಧಾನ ಸಭಾ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಿಂದ ಸ್ಪರ್ಧಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ @ShashikalaJolle ಅವರ ನಾಮಪತ್ರ ಇಂದು ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಲಾಯಿತು. @BJP4Karnataka#BJPYeBharavase #DoubleEngineSarkara (1/2) pic.twitter.com/eK5qnyuBRO
— Pralhad Joshi (Modi Ka Parivar) (@JoshiPralhad) April 20, 2023
Among others who filed their nominations on Thursday were the BJP’s MP Renukacharya (Honnali), Katta Jagadish (Hebbal), Ramachandra Gowda (Sidlaghatta), and the Congress’ Ramanath Rai (Bantwal) and Yogesh HC (Shivamogga).
(With PTI inputs)
