Karnataka Polls: Congress ticket for ex-Lawmakers from BJP, JDS

Keeping its pre-poll promise, Congress has given tickets to BJP and JDS turncoats in its second list of 42 candidates for May 10 assembly elections in Karnataka.

However, the suspense over Kolar seat continues. Congress had announced Siddaramaiah's name for the Varuna seat in Mysuru in its first list of 124 candidates. The party's silence is significant since the former CM has sought it as his second seat.

The leadership is of the opinion that if it accepts Siddaramaiah's demand, then it may spark similar requests from other senior leaders. Former deputy CM G Parameshwar has already aired a similar demand.

In 2018, as chief minister, Siddaramaiah had contested from Chamundeshwari and Badami, but won the latter with a thin margin.

The party has given tickets to former JDS MLA SR Srinivas from Gubbi, former BJP MLA NY Gopalakrishna from Molakalmuru and former BJP MLC Baburao Chinchansoor from Gurmitkal. The first list included the name of Puttanna, a former BJP MLC.

Former minister Vinay Kulkarni, a Panchamasali Lingayat leader who was speculated to contest against chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in Shiggaon, will contest from Dharwad. He lost there in 2018.Congress is yet to announce candidates against chief minister Basavaraj Bommai's Shiggaon and JDS heavyweight HD Kumaraswamy's Channapatna constituencies.