Karnataka Election LIVE: BJP Announces 72 Names in First List; Party MLAs, 3 New Entrants Get Tickets

Sundara Devinagara was welcomed to the BJP at a function in the morning by U Rajesh Naik, who is to contest from Bantwal constituency against state Forests Minister B Ramanath Rai.

one of the names that stand out is B Srimalu who recently joined the party. There was considerable opposition  to party allowing and then giving him a ticket as he is considered close to the tainted Reddy brothers from Bellary, mining barons.

The BJP has released their first list of for the Karnataka Assembly Elections. the first list has 92 names, with no big surprises as most sitting MLAs have been given tickets. Three leaders who recently joined the party from other outfits have also been accomodated.

Pointing at the opposition unity efforts in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and by the DMK, the Trinamool Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party in Tamil Nadu, Rahul Gandhi asked,

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the forget the BJP winning the 2019 polls, even Prime Minister Narendra Modi might lose his Varanasi seat under a united opposition. Exuding confidence over roping in and managing alliance partners despite their varied personal and regional aspirations, Gandhi predicted for the current ruling dispensation, a "collapse" not "seen in many years". 

Congress president Rahul Gandhi during his interaction with Pourakarmikas (sanitation workers) in Bengaluru said that his party, if voted to power at the Centre, would learn from Karnataka on how to reward sanitation workers. When Gandhi asked the sanitation workers about their expectations from the government in the next five years, they unanimously demanded that they should be regularised. They, however, thanked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for increasing their salaries from Rs 7,500 per month to Rs 18,000.

People have been filing in at palace grounds, Bengaluru for Rahul Gandhi's rally. A large crowd has gathered.

Failing to curb growing Drug Mafia in B'luru has been one of many failures of the Siddaramaiah govt.

City is now infamously identified as drug capital of south India.

Will Rahul at least address drug problem in Bengaluru? Or is it wrong of us to expect this from him?

— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 8, 2018

The BJP has gone on the offensive against the Congress government in the state. Sharing a news story about comapnies moving away from Bengaluru because of poor infrastructure on the Twitter handle of the party's state unit, it accused both Congress president Rahul Gandhi and state Chief minister Siddaramaiah of lying about creating jobs in the when in fact jobs were leaving Karnataka.

Companies are moving away from Bengaluru citing dismal infrastructure, traffic jams, erratic power supply, congested industry clusters, & what not!

Will Rahul hold Siddu accountable before he begins his usual lies on 'HAL, jobs & stuff'? https://t.co/18NN2v1lzd

— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 8, 2018

Rahul Gandhi interacting with reporters in Bengaluru

BSY ATTACKS RAHUL | Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa lists failures of the Siddaramaiah government.

BSY tweets: Rahul Gandhi, today your local leaders made you shake hands and take pictures/selfies with Pourakarmikas. But in reality your party government has done least to make their lives better. Here is a glimpse of what has been happening in Karnataka:

* CM Siddaramaiah claims himself as a champion of Dalits. But is he blind to see people are dying in manholes and pits in Karnataka?

* The Socio-Economic & Caste Census of 2011 says that 90% of the 16,362 manual scavengers are from Karnataka. 68 people have died while cleaning manholes in the recent years. Two people had died while cleaning a manhole in front of Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya’s house in Bengaluru. 

* Manual scavenging led to 6 deaths in the beginning of 2018 itself in Bengaluru, the tech city. 

* Social Welfare Minister Anjaneya had expressed his intention of legalizing manual scavenging. How can legalizing a dangerous and inhuman system can be an answer to any problem?

* Why Siddaramaiah is talking about welfare of Dalits when he has utterly failed implement the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in letter and spirit. Stop manual scavenging and respect Dalits.

Rahul bought — A History of God by Karen Armstrong, The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh, The Goat Thief by Perumal Murugan, Ikigai by Francesc Miralles and The Miracle of Mindfulness of Thich Nhat Hanh:

Rahul travelled from Vidhan Soudha to MG road station. There, he got off and visited a bookstore:

A fellow traveller clicks a selfie with Rahul Gandhi in Namma Metro:

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, along with CM Siddaramaiah takes a ride in Bengaluru's Namma Metro:

Sources are telling News18 that the Bellary Reddy brothers will get tickets from the BJP. Somashekara Reddy will get the ticket from Bellary city and Sriramulu from Bellary Rural.

Karnataka BJP president and CM hopeful BS Yeddyurappa is in Delhi to discuss ticket allocation with party president Amit Shah. It is expected that the first list will be announced later today.

Rahul Gandhi interacting with Pourakarmikas (Safai Karamcharis):

Karnataka BJP president and CM hopeful BS Yeddyurappa has tweeted 'pertinent questions' that Congress president Rahul Gandhi needs to ask CM Siddaramaiah about Bengaluru. "Dear Rahul Gandhi, it is time you ask some pertinent questions to CM Siddaramaiah about Bengaluru. Improving the city's infrastructure has been the state govt's least priority. Can you ask why?":

Dear #RahulGandhi, it is time you ask some pertinent questions to CM @Siddaramaiah about #NammaBengaluru. Improving the city's infrastructure has been the state govt's least priority. Can you ask why?@BJP4India @BJP4Karnataka @INCKarnataka @INCIndia pic.twitter.com/LhhSQGYEjt

— B.S. Yeddyurappa (@BSYBJP) April 8, 2018

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has taken to Twitter to dispel rumours that he was asked by state intelligence agency to survey his constituency of Chamundeshwari. the rumours began after BJP supporters shared a document on Twitter purportedly from the state intelligence bureau which told Siddaramaiah to not contest from Chamundeshwari as he would lose because the JD(S) had managed to mobilise the Vokkalinga community in their favour. Siddaramaiah has called the doucument fake.

Here is Karnataka state intelligence report which advises @CMofKarnataka Sri @siddaramaiah not to face election in his home turf! Goes a step ahead suggesting new constituency too 😜
This is his five year achievements!!#IndiaTrustsBJP pic.twitter.com/eNDoMHa2JU

— Chakravarty Sulibele (@astitvam) April 7, 2018

Fake document: why are BJP guys getting excited over fake news & fake documents?

Fight on issues. What do you offer the voter? https://t.co/SNtXsogZ5L

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 7, 2018

On the campaign trail in Kolar district. Sharing a lighter moment with @DrParameshwara pic.twitter.com/QJb2jMCoLh

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 7, 2018

Congress president Rahul Gandhi along with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, party's state unit president G Parameshwara and other leaders are scheduled to meet Sri Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt head Sri Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji at 8PM today. This is a prominent Vokkaliga Mutt, a religious place of importance for the Gowdas. Gowdas are one of the dominant communities in Karnataka. With this, Gandhi will have visited the mutts of all sects in the state.

BJP members at the EC office with their complaint against Jignesh Mevani.

A Screenshot of the complaint filed by the BJP to the EC.

The BJP has filed a complain with the Election Commission against Jignesh Mewani, This comes after the party  demanded Jignesh Mewani be barred from entering Karnataka till voting day on May 12. MLA and BJP state general secretary CT Ravi said Mewani wants to disrupt public life by instigating people against the party. 

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will start his day on Sunday with a meeting with Paura Karmika (sanitary workers) early in the day at 9:30 am.

Between 11-00 am and 12 noon, there is an interaction with the business community at Gyanajyothi auditorium.

Between 12:30pm and 1:30pm, a meeting with women influencers at the Radisson Blue Hotel.

1:30pm to 4:30pm is reserved.

Between 5:00pm and 7:00pm there’s a public meeting at the Palace Ground.

From 7:30pm to 8:30pm Rahul Gandhi will attend a meeting with state senior leaders.

Finally start for New Delhi from Bangalore Airport at 9pm.

JD(S) leader and son of Deve Gowda, HD Revanna praises BJP’s CM face, BS Yeddyurappa and attacks Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Says Gandhi has no moral right to call BSY corrupt and that Yeddyurappa is a good person. Revanna adds that JD(S) is not BJP's B team like Gandhi had alleged once. JD(S) workers meanwhile protest outside Deve Gowda's house demanding ticket for his grandson Prajwal Revanna.