Karnataka Election 2023 LIVE: Before Amit Shah's Devanhalli Rally, Traffic Curbs Around Bengaluru Airport; 5,102 Nominations Filed, Scrutiny Today

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday attacked the Congress party ahead of polls in the state. He said, “Congress party is cheating voters by giving false assurances. Congress leaders of this region failed to do any development work here in the last five years.”

BJP national general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh on Thursday said only a leader from the community will become Chief Minister in the state and revealed that it is a “universal truth” in the party. His categorical statement came a day after Lingayat leaders of the BJP raised the pitch with a campaign to name a leader from the community for the CM post in the poll-bound state to counter the Congress’ narrative of branding the ruling party as “anti-Lingayat”.

After a Special Court in Bengaluru rejected the request of Congress candidate Vinay Kulkarni seeking permission to visit his constituency, he on Thursday approached the High Court. Kulkarni is the main accused in the murder of BJP leader Yogesh Gowda in 2016 and was granted bail by the Supreme Court on the condition that he would not be allowed to enter Dharwad without the permission of the jurisdictional court.

With April 20 being the last day for filing of the papers in Karnataka, over 3,600 candidates have filed a total of 5,102 nominations. The process of filing nominations papers began on April 13 with the election notification being issued.

BJP launched a scathing attack on Congress for including its Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi’s name in the star campaigner list.

“Imran Pratapgarhi called Atiq his guru, Congress is appointing such individuals with a criminal background to appease minorities. Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf were his (Imran Pratapgarhi) friends. Imran used to call them brothers… Congress has kept him on the list of star campaigners for Karnataka polls, which shows Congress is in support of criminals and anti-nationals,” said Union Minister and BJP leader Shobha Karandlage.

The fight for the Kanakapura assembly seat just got more interesting: the Congress has pitched the ‘DK brothers’ against Karnataka revenue minister R Ashok. State Congress chief DK Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh are both contesting from the seat in the elections on May 10. READ MORE

BJP launched a scathing attack on Congress for including its Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi’s name in the star campaigner list for the Karnataka Assembly election. The saffron party alleged that Pratapgarhi was a close aide of the late gangster Atiq Ahmed.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a road show in during a two-day visit in Karnataka to take stock of the party’s preparations for the May 10 Assembly elections. On Friday, Shah will hold a roadshow in Devanahalli town, the birthplace of 18th century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan, in Bengaluru Rural district.