New Delhi: The Congress party on Wednesday released its fifth list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections and fielded Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan in the fight against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai from Shiggaon constituency. The main opposition party had earlier named Mohammad Yusuf Sawanur for the seat. Besides this, the party has fielded Dr BC Muddugangadhar from Mulbagal (SC) seat, DK Mohan from KR Pura and AC Srinivas from Pulakeshinagar assembly constituency.
See here the fifth list released by Congress
#KarnatakaElection2023 , Congress released the fifth list of candidates.
Yasir Ahmad Khan Pathan will contest from the Shiggaon constituency from where the BJP has fielded Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. pic.twitter.com/2Q5cBmkaB2– ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2023
The Congress on Tuesday released its fourth list of seven candidates for the Karnataka Assembly polls and fielded former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who recently quit the BJP and joined the BJP, from his traditional Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency. The party also fielded Mohd Yusuf Savanur from Shiggaon Assembly seat, from where Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is the BJP candidate. Bommai represents the Shiggaon constituency in the outgoing assembly.
Congress released the list of star campaigners
Congress stalwarts, including national president Mallikarjun Kharge, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, state chiefs DK Shivakumar, LOP Siddaramaiah, Shashi Tharoor, former BJP leader and deputy chief minister Jagadish Shettar are among those who are expected to join the party. named from. List of 40 star campaigners for Karnataka assembly elections to be held on 10th May.
The grand old party on Wednesday released a list of 40 star campaigners for the Karnataka Assembly elections. Other prominent names in the list of party campaigners include Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, General Secretary in-charge, Communications, Jairam Ramesh, Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel, Himachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
Gehlot in, Pilot out
While Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also features in the list of 40-star campaigners for the upcoming election, another influential Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot has not been included in the list. Sachin Pilot last week staged a protest against his own government in the state, alleging that the Ashok Gehlot-led government failed to investigate corruption cases during the BJP rule in Rajasthan. Infighting in the party has again become a major concern for the Congress as crucial assembly elections are due in the state later this year. Pilot, former deputy CM of Rajasthan, has been at loggerheads with Gehlot ever since the government came to power in 2018.
Siddaramaiah files nomination, plays ‘last election’ card
Earlier on Wednesday, senior Congress leader and former CM Siddaramaiah filed his nomination for the state elections. Talking to reporters after formally entering the fray, he said that Congress is a secular party and it will not seek votes on the basis of caste. Siddaramaiah filed his nomination from Varuna assembly constituency.
Siddaramaiah told reporters, “The Congress is a secular party. We are not seeking votes on the basis of caste. We are hopeful of getting votes from all communities including Lingaites, Vokkaligas and others.”
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah said the upcoming state polls would be his last electoral battle as he would later retire from politics. Siddaramaiah earlier told ANI, “I am contesting from Varuna constituency as my native village falls under this constituency. This will be my last election. After this I will retire from electoral politics.”
The Congress leader said that while he would remain in active politics even after the Karnataka elections, he would not accept any party post that would require him to shift base to Delhi.
The last date for filing nominations is April 20. The nomination process has gathered pace in Karnataka, with senior leaders of all major electoral players from the southern state filing their nominations. The assembly elections will be held on May 10 and the results will be declared on May 13. The Congress is trying to oust the BJP from power in the southern state, while the JD(S) stands as a tough challenger.