59 candidates in fray for K'taka Council polls

Bangalore, Jun 4: As many as 59 candidates, including two Ministers, are in the fray for the biennial elections to six seats from the Graduates and Teachers constituencies of the Karnataka Legislative Council, scheduled to be held on June 17.

According to official sources, when withdrawal of candidates ended yesterday, 16 candidates remained in the fray after two independents backtracked from the Bangalore Graduates constituency for one seat. Science and Technology Minister Ramachandre Gowda (BJP), A Deve Gowda (Congress) and R Upendra Shetty (JD-S) were the prominent contestants seeking election from the seat.

In the South West Graduates constituency, six candidates, including Higher Education Minister D H Shankara Murthy (BJP) who is seeking re-election, have thrown their hats into the ring.

In the South Eastern Graduates constituency, seven nominees were left in the fray after two independents withdrew their papers on the last day. Among the prominent contestants are Manohar Maski (BJP), Prof Sangameshwar (JD-S) and Suryakantha Koralli (Congress) for the lone seat.

For the elections to three seats from the Teachers constituency, 30 candidates are left in the fray. While 11 candidates are in the fray from the North East Teachers constituency (Mysore), seven would fight it out from the South West constituency (Dakshina Kannada) and 12 from the Karnataka South (Tumkur) constituency, the sources said.

The elections were necessitated following the retirement of four members after completion of their six-year term on June 21 and demise of Dr M R Thanga and Channabasavayya.

UNI