Karnataka polls: Nomination withdrawal ends, 2,613 candidates in election fray
'Rebel trouble' for parties in some seats
Bengaluru (PTI): A total of 2,613 candidates are in the poll fray, as the withdrawal of candidatures for the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka came to an end on Monday, election officials said.
A total of 517 candidates have withdrawn their candidature till today, even as parties faced "rebel trouble" in several segments. Out of 2,613 candidates in the poll fray, 2,427 are male, 184 females and 2 others, office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka said.
Among the contesting candidates from recognised political parties- 224 from BJP, 223 Congress (supporting Sarvodaya Karnataka Party in Melukote), 207 JD(S), 209 AAP, 133 BSP , 4 CPI(M), 8 JD(U) and 2 NPP.
While 685 are from Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPP), 918 are independents.
In 16 constituencies there are more than 15 candidates in the fray, so two Ballot Unit (BU) will be used in these segments during the poll.
Political parties made efforts till the last minute to ensure rebel candidates, who had filed nomination disgruntled over being denied tickets by their respective parties, to withdraw their papers.
In some cases, the parties were successful in convincing such candidates to withdraw, while "rebel trouble" loomed large on the electoral prospects of the official candidates in several constituencies.
The rebel trouble seems to be more in the case of BJP and Congress, compared to other parties.
According to party sources, Congress is facing rebel in Pulakeshinagar (Akhanda Srinivas Murthy), Harapanahalli (M P Latha Mallikarjun), Shirahatti (Ramakrishna Doddamani), Shikaripura (Nagaraj Gowda), Jagalur (H P Rajesh), Arakalagudu (Krishnegowda), among others.
In BJP rebel trouble is in - Puttur (Arun kumar Puttila), Afzalpur (Nitin Guttedar), Goolihatti Shekhar (Hosadurga), Bailhongal (Vishwanath Patil), Gundlupet (M P Sunil), Chennagiri (Madal Mallikarjun), Malur (Vijay Kumar), Gandhi Nagar (Krishnaiah Shetty), among others, party sources said.
Among those who have withdrawn as rebel candidates include - former Bengaluru Mayor- Congress' Gangambike Mallikarjun from Chickpet, BJP's Mahadevappa Yadawad from Ramdurg.
The elections to the 224-member assembly will be held on May 10 and results will be declared on May 13.
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Shepherd in Raichur struck by lightning dies on way to hospital
Raichur: In an incident that occurred on the outskirts of Ankushadoddi village in Maski taluk, a 32-year-old shepherd was struck dead by lightning on Tuesday evening.
The deceased has been identified as Ramanna Nayak, who was a resident of Ankushadoddi.
Nayaka had gone to graze sheep on the outskirts of the village and was returning in the evening, when a thunderstorm struck the village. The shepherd was hit by a lightning during the rain and was seriously injured.
He was taken to the hospital in Maski, but is learned to have died on the way
Revenue as well as police officials visited the village and held an inspection.
