Karnataka bypolls: 37 candidates file nominations for two seats
Bengaluru, Oct 8: A total of 37 candidates have filed 57 nominations on Friday, the last day to do so, for Sindagi and Hangal assembly constituencies that will go for by-elections on October 30, poll officials said.
While 8 candidates from Sindagi have filed 12 nominations, 45 nominations have been received from 29 candidates in Hangal.
Out of total 37, two candidates each from Sindagi and Hangal are women.
While scrutiny of nominations will take place on October 11, the last day for withdrawal of papers is on October 13. Counting of votes will take place on November 2.
The by-elections have been necessitated as the seats fell vacant following the death of Sindgi JD(S) legislator M C Managuli and BJP's C M Udasi from Hangal.
While Ramesh Bhusanur, who came second behind Managuli in 2018 polls, is the BJP candidate from Sindagi, Shivaraj Sajjanar is its candidate from Hangal constituency.
Congress has named Managuli's son Ashok Managuli, who has joined the party, as its candidate from Sindgi, while former MLC Srinivas Mane is its candidate from Hangal.
JD(S), which was the first to announce its candidates, has fielded 33-year-old post graduate Naziya Shakeel Ahmed Angadi from Sindagi and 35-year-old B.E, M.Tech (CSE) graduate Niyaz Shaikh from Hangal.
Congress leaders including Siddaramaiah have alleged that JD(S) deliberately fielded minority candidates for the Hangal and Sindagi by-elections to help the BJP, resulting in war of words between both parties.
This is the first electoral challenge for Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai after taking charge. Winning Hangal is even more important for him as it is the neighbouring constituency to his Shiggaon assembly segment.
On the last day of filing nominations, all the three political parties claimed they will win with a huge margin.
State Congress Chief D K Shivakumar, speaking to reporters in Sindagi, expressed confidence that the party will win with a margin of minimum 25,000 votes.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, defending his party's decision to field Muslim candidates from both seats said the candidates are educated, and accused the Congress of playing "low level politics" by alleging that the regional party was trying to help BJP by fielding minority community candidates.
BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel claimed his party will win with a huge margin in both Sindagi and Hangal, and teams have been formed to ensure its victory.
"All the leaders are together fighting this election unitedly," he said in Hangal.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Face of unity: Muslim-dominated Haryana panchayat elects Hindu woman as sarpanch
Gurugram, Apr 5 (PTI): The Muslim-dominated Siroli village in Haryana's Nuh district has elected its sole Hindu panchayat member as the sarpanch, an officer here said.
Thirty-year-old Nisha Chauhan was elected as Siroli sarpanch on April 2.
According to a senior panchayat officer, Siroli panchayat under the Punahana block has 15 members, of which 14 are Muslims and eight are women. The post of Siroli sarpanch is reserved for women.
Only 250 out of the 3,296 voters in the village are Hindus.
According to panchayat officer Nasim, the panchayat election was held in December 2022. However, the winning candidate, Sahana, was sacked some months later after her education certificates were found to be fake.
The newly elected sarpanch said that her victory is a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity.
"My village is Muslim-dominated but the old tradition of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood still exists there. In true sense, there is no religious discrimination in the Mewat area, a living example of which is my election as sarpanch. My victory is a message of communal brotherhood in the entire area," said Chauhan.
Former Siroli sarpanch and a current ward member, Ashraf, said the panchs have chosen Chauhan in the hope for better administration.
"Here Hindus and Muslims are in harmony. We fully participate in each other's happiness and sorrow," Ashraf said.
