Karnataka assembly election 2023: Record number of nominations filed

With assembly polls closing in, and as tomorrow happens to be 'Amavasya', which is considered inauspicious by certain sections of people, several political big wigs in Karnataka filed their nominations on Wednesday.

All the candidates were accompanied by large numbers of supporters, beating drums, waving party flags and shouting slogans.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai filed his nomination from his traditional seat of Shiggaon in Haveri district. He was accompanied by BJP national president J P Nadda and Kannada film star Sudeep. Earlier in the day he visited temples, and also held a massive road show as well as addressed a public meeting along with Nadda and Sudeep in Shiggaon. Bommai is seeking re-election from Shiggaon, from where he has been an MLA three times since 2008. He had already filed one set of nominations during an ''auspicious muhurat'' on April 15.

BS Yediyurappa's son, BY Vijayendra also filed his nomination from Shikaripura constituency. Ahead of filing the nomination, Vijayendra took out a mega roadshow alongside his father and former CM BS Yediyurappa.

Meanwhile, BJP turncoat Jagadish Shettar filed his nomination from the BJP bastion of Hubbali-Dharwad. His opponent and BJP State general secretary Mahesh Tenginkai also filed his nomination today.

The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah filed his nomination from Varuna. He reiterated that this would be his last election.

Senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara filed his papers from his traditional seat of Koratagere in Tumakuru district, after holding a road show accompanied by a large number of supporters.

Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner and BJP candidate from Chamarajpet Bhaskar Rao too filed his nomination, accompanied by party national General Secretary Arun Singh.

Congress' Pulakeshinagar MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, on being overlooked for the seat today filed his papers as an independent candidate.

On the other hand, Shafi Bellare, prime accused in the murder of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Praveen Nettaru, has filed his nomination from the Puttur constituency. Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), which is considered as the political arm of the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), has fielded Shafi Bellare from the Dakshina Kannada district's seat.

Among several others who filed their nominations today include BJP's Ministers V Sunil Kumar (Karkala) and V Somanna (Chamarajanagar); MLA S R Vishwanath (Yelahanka); Congress' Priya Krishna (Govindarajanagar), and Raghunath Naidu (Padmanabhanagar).

Candidates of other parties including AAP, BSP and CPIM have also filed nominations. So far, 2,033 nominations have been filed in the state, which include 157 women candidates.

The last day for filing of nominations is April 20. Voting will take place on May 10 and the counting of votes will be on May 13.

(with PTI inputs)