Karnataka Election 2023 LIVE: Jagadish Shettar Files Nomination, CM Bommai Will Do it Shortly; Yogi-Modi Among BJP's Star Campaigners

Congress leader Jagadish Shettar files nomination from Hubli-Dharwad-Central Assembly constituency He will face BJP candidate Mahesh Tenginkai in the election.

As all the political parties are gearing up for the crucial Karnataka assembly elections on May 10, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state is preparing to conduct mega public rallies, road shows, and conferences which will be held by star campaigners such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP national president JP Nadda, and many others.

With only a few weeks remaining for the Karnataka Assembly elections, accusations and blame games between leaders of political parties are flying thick and fast. There have been some serious allegations made against Tamil Nadu BJP president and Karnataka BJP election-in-charge K Annamalai. Senior Congress leader and former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake alleged that Annamali flew to Udupi in a helicopter full of cash to distribute the money among voters. READ MORE

Karnataka Elections 2023 are becoming more and more dramatic with each passing day. As the list of candidates was announced, R Ashok was going to go up against DK Shivakumar in Kanakapura and Padmanabha Nagar but now reports suggest that Shivakumar may field his brother DK Suresh from the Padmanabha Nagar constituency. Raghunath Naidu was hoping to get the B-form from the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office in Bangalore but Shivakumar instructed him to wait for a few days. READ MORE

Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly Polls, a political war broke out over the rescue of the tribal Kannadigas stranded in Sudan, where rival factions of the ruling military regime have been battling for control of the African nation. As many as 31 people belonging to Hakki-Pikki tribal community from Karnataka are stuck in Sudan, where clashes between army personnel and paramilitary forces resulted in the death of over 180 people. READ MORE

Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and grandson of HD Deve Gowda, filed his nomination papers as a JD(S) candidate from the Ramanagara Assembly constituency on Monday. During the submission of nomination papers, Nikhil declared that he has assets worth Rs 77 crore which include five cars, including a Lamborghini. Along with a Lamborghini, Nikhil also has a Range Rover. READ MORE

Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar was among those left disgruntled for not being granted a BJP ticket for the upcoming Assembly elections. Resultantly, he quit the party. The former CM joined Congress in the presence of many leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar. After his formal induction into the party in Bengaluru, Shettar returned to his home in Hubbali. As he returned home, his wife Shilpa Shettar reportedly broke down. READ MORE

Former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar on Tuesday claimed that BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh denied him a ticket in the poll-bound state. Shettar, a six-time MLA, joined the Congress after quitting the saffron party on Monday and was given a ticket to contest from the Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency. READ MORE

In his first political programmes in Karnataka after nomination filing ends on Thursday, Home Minister Amit Shah will hold road shows in Davanagere and Devanahalli on April 21 and 22 and attend several organisational meetings in Bengaluru as the BJP’s campaign to retain power in the state goes into a higher gear. Party sources said Shah will be in the state between April 20-23 and will leave for Telangana on the last day to attend political programmes in Telangana’s Chevella Lok Sabha seat. READ MORE

WhatsApp is one of the easiest modes of communication with the masses and hence acts as a tool for political campaigning. With barely a few weeks before the Assembly Elections in Karnataka, the Election Commission has decided to crack down on political parties campaigning by monitoring the messaging application. EC will take legal action against troll pages and WhatsApp group admins campaigning on behalf of candidates of various parties. READ MORE

As all the political parties are gearing up for the crucial Karnataka assembly elections on May 10, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state is preparing to conduct mega public rallies, road shows, and conferences which will be held by star campaigners such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP national president JP Nadda, and many others. READ MORE

The three ‘D’s—disgruntlement, disappointment, and disillusionment—are the common thread that ties Karnataka’s revolving politicians together. In the season of elections, defections may be a common practice, but this time the southern state is witnessing a high-voltage game of musical chairs between leaders from the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, and Janata Dal (Secular). READ MORE

BJP leader and MLC Ayanur Manjunath on Monday said he will resign as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, and contest the May 10 Assembly polls from the Shivamogga constituency. However, he did not specify whether he would contest from any other political party or as an independent candidate.

He also challenged senior BJP leader and former Minister K S Eshwarappa or his son K E Kantesh to contest against him in the polls, as he hit out at the former for seeking a ticket for son, rather than for those who worked with him to build the party, and also for allegedly making certain comments against him.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami of Moorusavir Mutt said, “All Lingayats support the BJP. I think now also our community will support BJP…” Mahesh Tenginkai, BJP candidate from Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency met him at the mutt today to seek his blessings.

Ahead of filing nomination tomorrow for Karnataka elections, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told the news agency ANI, “…This time there is huge support and I am confident of winning with the largest majority this time…Nothing has shaken. Not even a small brick has changed. We are going to win all the three Hubli-Dharwad seats, including Jagadish Shettar’s seat.”

He also confirmed that Kannada actor Kiccha Sudeep will accompany him tomorrow.

With just two days left for the filing of nominations to end for May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, the Congress on Tuesday announced its fourth list of seven candidates, confirming the ticket to former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who joined the party after quitting BJP. Shettar has been given the ticket from Hubli-Dharwad-Central Assembly segment which he currently represents. READ MORE

Karnataka Minister R Ashoka, who is taking on state Congress president D K Shivakumar in Kanakapura, former deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi who recently joined the Congress and JD(S)’ YSV Datta, who recently rejoined the party, were among the prominent leaders, who filed their nominations on Tuesday, for the May 10 Assembly polls.

With only two days left for formally entering the fray, candidates from various political parties filed their papers by holding roadshows and going on a temple run along with a large number of their supporters, amidst drum beats, waving of party flags and shouting of slogans.

Ahead of the Karnataka elections, Rahul Gandhi has demanded a caste census after deliberations with other supporters of the move like Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav. The Congress had been against such a study for nearly 60 years till doing one in 2011. In Karnataka, former chief minister Siddaramaiah till 2018 did not release a caste census report despite commissioning one. READ MORE

The Congress on Tuesday evening released its fourth list of seven candidates and fielded party leader Mohammad Yousuf Savanur against Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai from Shiggaon seat in the poll-bound state.

▶The Congress has released four lists of candidates for 216 out of total of 224 seats. The party has to now finalise names for the remaining 8 seats.

▶The Janata Dal (Secular) announced 149 out of total of 224 seats. Party’s first list comprising 93 was released in December last year and 50 on Friday.

▶The BJP has released three lists of candidates for 222 out of total of 224 seats. The party has to now finalise names for the remaining 2 seats.