Over 800 enter fray for II phase polls in K'taka

Bangalore, Apr 29(UNI) Over 800 candidates entered the fray for the second phase of elections Karnataka assembly from ten districts to be held on May 16, as about 305 more candidates filed their nominations on the last day of filing of nominations today.

Prominent among those who entered the fray today for the second phase included former deputy speaker N Y Gopala Krishna of Congress from Monakalmur and Thippeswamy, the former JD(S) strongman who recently defected to BJP recently, from Challakere in Chitradurga district.

In the same district, former Congress district president R Manjunath filed his nominations as an independent, after he was denied the ticket by the party.

Bellary district, which is billed to witness the most fierce fight between the three frontline parties like Congress, BJP and the JD(S), saw as many as 98 persons file their papers today.

In all more than 305 candidates put in their papers for the second phase of polls to be held in Raichur, Koppal, Uttara Kannada, Bellary, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Shimoga, Udupi, Chickmagalur and Dakshina Kannada districts.

For the third phase May 22 elections, as many as 38 candidates have filed their nomination papers including BJP candidate B G Patil from Gulbarga north assembly seat. Ten northern districts including Belgaum, Bhagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Bidar, Dharwad, Haveri and Gadag goes to poll in third phase.

A High drama was witnessed in Davanagere where the official candidate of Congress party Syed Saifullah gifted the 'B' form issued by party high command in favour of S S Mallikarjun reportedly under duress. Mr S S Mallikarjun also a former Karnataka minister and district Congress president who had earlier submitted his nomination papers handed over the amended 'B' form to the returning officer. However the nomination paper submitted by Mr Mallikarjun was likely to be rejected during the scrutiny on technical grounds.

Earlier state Congress General Secretary Manjunath Bhandari flew in a helicopter with the B form in the name of Syed,, which the latter offered it to Mr Mallikarjun.

UNI RS MV SKB2010