Bellary MP E Tukaram's wife Annapurna to fight from Sandur: CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru, Oct 22: Congress has decided to give Sandur ticket to Bellary MP E Tukaram's wife Annapurna while candidates for Shiggaon and Channapatna will be decided later, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday, noting that the party has made all necessary preparations for the November 13 Assembly by-polls in these segments.
To a question on demands to give the Channapatna ticket to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother and former Congress MP from Bangalore Rural D K Suresh, the CM said, "his name is also there, let's see what will be decided."
The last date for filing nominations is October 25, and the final date for withdrawal of papers is October 30.
ALSO READ: Senior BJP member CP Yogeshwar resigns as MLC; to contest from Channapatna seat
By-polls for Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna are necessitated, as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) -- to Lok Sabha in May elections.
"We have made all the preparations (for bypolls), probably candidates may be announced today. The Sandur candidate has been decided, we will give the ticket to Tukaram's wife. Candidates for Shiggaon and Channapatna are likely to be decided today," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
While the BJP has already announced its candidates for Sandur and Shiggaon segments, the party has ceded the high profile Channapatna seat to its alliance partner JD(S), which is yet to announce its candidate.
To a question on demands to give Channapatna ticket to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother and former Congress MP from Bangalore Rural D K Suresh, the CM said, "his name is also there, let's see what will be decided."
Both Shivakumar and Suresh have said that there is pressure on them to field the latter as Congress candidate from Channapatna.
"D K Brothers" -- Shivakumar and Suresh -- are hoping to regain their lost grounds in the Vokkaliga dominated region, after the Lok Sabha poll debacle in which Suresh lost to BJP-JD(S) joint candidate and Kumaraswamy's brother-in-law Dr C N Manjunath in Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment, under which the Channapatna Assembly seat comes.
Asked about speculations that BJP leader C P Yogeeshwara, who resigned as MLC on Monday, joining Congress and contesting from Channapatna, Siddaramaiah said, "I haven't spoken to him. Our president (state Congress president Shivakumar) is from Channapatna region, let's see what he decides. I have said the ticket should be given to a suitable candidate. He will discuss and decide."
Further responding to a question, will Congress induct Yogeeshwara into the party, he said, "whoever comes accepting the Congress' ideology, we will take them in."
After resigning, Yogeeshwara on Monday had not ruled out chances of him joining Congress. "....I have not contacted anyone (from Congress) so far and there is no such intention. But I can't say what will happen tomorrow," he said.
With the BJP ceding Channapatana seat to alliance partner JD(S), the actor-turned-politician had also said he plans to contest as an independent, and would take a final call, after consulting his supporters and workers. He even appealed to BJP-JD(S) leaders to consider giving him a ticket from the saffron party.
There were plans to field Yogeeshwara on a JD(S) ticket, but he seemed to be not interested in it, and instead wanted Kumaraswamy to support him as BJP candidate, which was not acceptable to the latter and his party, party sources said.
Regarding relief for those affected by rains in Bengaluru and other parts of the state, the CM said, "we will start the relief work, preparations have been made."
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CPI(M) MLA Mukesh arrested in sexual assault case, released on bail
Thrissur (Kerala), Oct 22: CPI(M) MLA and actor M Mukesh has been arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with a 2010 sexual assault case in the central Kerala district of Thrissur.
His lawyer confirmed that the MLA was arrested on Monday, his medical examination and potency test were carried out and then he was released as he had been granted anticipatory bail in the case by a sessions court on September 24.
Two cases have been registered against Mukesh, one by the Wadakkanchery police and the other by the Maradu police and in both he has got anticipatory bail.
According to the police, the complainant in the case at Wadakkanchery is the same female actor on whose complaint a FIR has been lodged against him at Maradu police station.
The actor has claimed that the charges were the result of his refusal to succumb to blackmail attempts by the complainant.
Multiple FIRs have been registered against several high-profile Malayalam film personalities following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors, sparked by revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report.
The committee was established by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case. Its report highlighted instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.
In response to these allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation involving several actors and directors, the state government announced the formation of a seven-member Special Investigation Team on August 25 to investigate the claims.
