Congress release its final list, read the details here
Bengaluru: The Congress released its final list of five candidates for the Karnataka assembly polls and there are notable inclusions as well as exclusions in it.
While NA Haris, whose candidature was earlier in doubt over an assault case against his son, has been fielded from Shanthi Nagar again, HS Chandramouli has been dropped after the controversy over his legal services to PNB scam accused Mehul Choksi.
In all, the party has replaced six candidates in its final list.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will replace Dr Devraj Patil in Badami constituency in North Karnataka, according to the updated list. Siddaramaiah is in the fray from the Chamundeshwari segment in Mysuru as well.
The party had ended the suspense over whether he would contest from two seats on Saturday night after a day of flip-flop. Siddaramaiah has been maintaining that his desire was to contest from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru but he was under pressure from local party leaders to be in the fray from Badami, as it would boost the Congress' prospects in north Karnataka.
The party has replaced its candidates in Jagalur (reserved for Scheduled Tribes candidate), Tiptur, Malleshwaram, Padmanaba Nagar and Madikeri.
In Madikeri, KP Chandrakala will contest the election in the place of Chandramouli.
The BJP has been attacking the Congress over Mouli's candidature, citing he had represented fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi. The saffron party had also alleged that the tainted businessman enjoyed the "patronage" of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
The fate of another controversial pick, NA Harris, was also decided. He was re-nominated from Shanthinagara Assembly seat in Bengaluru, weeks after the party had put his ticket on hold over the assault allegations against his son Mohammad Nalapad.
The state Congress had earlier decided against giving him the ticket after his son generated negative publicity with the alleged assault on a youth at a high-end pub in Bengaluru two months ago. The party had felt that fielding him could cost them other seats in Bengaluru urban, which is a crucial segment.
However, after scouting for a suitable candidate who could replace Haris, the ruling Congress seems to have fallen back on the two-time MLA to again win the Muslim, Christian and Dalit-dominated Assembly seat in Bengaluru.
The Congress has fielded Dr B Inamdar, Vithal Dhondiba Katakdhond, Mallanna Niganna Sali and Syed Yasin from Kittur, Nagthan (reserved for scheduled castes), Sindgi and Raichur respectively.
The party has not declared a candidate for the Melkote segment, where it is likely to support Darshan Puttanaiah, who will fight the election on a ticket from Swaraj India.
The party had declared its first list of 218 candidates for the election to 224-seat assembly on April 15. The election is slated on May 12 and the poll results will be announced on May 15.
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Vinod Tawde seeks apology from Kharge, Rahul through legal notice, warns of defamation lawsuit
Cash-for-vote row
New Delhi, Nov 22: BJP leader Vinod Tawde has demanded an apology from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for making "false and baseless" allegations against him in the cash-for-votes incident in Maharashtra, saying if they don't he would sue them for defamation.
Tawde was accused by Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, a regional party, of distributing Rs 5 crore to woo voters, with its members barging into a hotel room on November 19 in a Mumbai suburb, where the BJP leader was present.
The former Maharashtra minister and BJP national general secretary claimed innocence, saying the alleged amount was not recovered in the probe by the Election Commission and police.
"The Congress only believes in spreading lies, and this incident is a proof of the party's low level politics to dent me and my party's image," Tawde said.
The two Congress leaders and the party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate seized on the row to accuse the BJP of using money power to influence the November 20 assembly polls in the state.
The legal notice sent to the three claimed that they were aware that they were pushing a "totally false story fabricated" by them.
"You all have deliberately, mischievously with the sole intention of damaging the reputation of our client intentionally fabricated the story distribution of money. You all have published false, baseless allegations against our client on various media for tarnishing his image in the eyes of right thinking people in the society," the notice read.
The Congress leaders were in a "great hurry" to damage Tawde's reputation, they did not bother to check the fact and or despite knowing the entire fact they made the false, baseless allegations, it said.
"The entire imputation made by you all are totally false, baseless, malicious and mala fide and as our client is in no way involved in any such illegal activity and as a responsible office bearer of the national political party he is aware of his duties," it added.
The notice demanded an "unconditional apology" to Tawde within 24 hours from the time the receipt of the notice, which was sent on November 21, and published in newspapers and X.
If they do not offer apology, then Tawde will initiate criminal proceedings under Section 356, which covers defamation, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and also civil proceedings for the damages of Rs 100 crore against the three Congress leaders, the notice said.
