Bangarappa, H K Patil among 330 to file nominations in K'taka

Bangalore, Apr 28 (UNI) Congress leaders H K Patil and R V Deshpande and Samajwadi Party (SP) Karnataka unit president S Bangarappa were among the 330 candidates who filed their nominations today for the second and third phase of state Assembly elections, scheduled to be held on May 16 and 22 respectively.

Mr Bangarappa (Shikaripura) and Mr Deshapande (Haliyal) were among the 249 candidates who filed their nominations on the penultimate day for filing of nominations for the second phase polls.

Mr Bangarappa filed his papers from Shikaripura Assembly seat, from where BJP Chief Ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa is seeking re-election.

After filing his nomination, Mr Bangarappa told reporters in Shimoga that he was fighting from the constituency to arrest the growth of ''communal forces'' like the BJP in the state and to defeat Mr Yeddyurappa.

According to official sources, as many as 22 candidates filed their papers from Raichur district, Koppal (20), Chitradurga (13), Davanagere (49), Uttara Kannada (14), Shimoga (32), Udupi (13), Chickmagalur (23), Bellary (40) and Dakshina Kannada (23) for the second phase of elections.

With this, the total number of candidates who have filed their papers rose to 540 for the 66 Assembly seats in second Phase of elections.

The last date for filing of nominations would be April 29 and scrutiny would be taken up the next day. The last date for withdrawal of nominations would be May 2.

Raichur, Koppal, Uttara Kannada, Bellary, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Shimoga, Udupi, Chickmagalur and Dakshina Kannada districts would be covered under the second phase of elections.

Meanwhile, as many as 71 people, including Congress leader H K Patil (Gadag) and Hanumanthappa Alkod (JD-S), filed their nominations for the third phase of elections to 69 seats in eight districts.

The last date for filing of nominations for third Phase of polling would be May 3 and scrutiny would be done on May 5. The last date for withdrawal of papers would be May seven.

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