HD Kumaraswamy's wife Anitha files nomination papers for Assembly bypolls in Karnataka's Ramanagara seat

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s wife Anitha filed Monday her nomination for the Ramanagara Assembly seat and BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa’s son BY Raghavendra from the Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency for the 3 November 3 bypolls. By-elections to three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in the state will be held on 3 November and counting will take place on 6 November. [caption id=“attachment_5383881” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy with wife Anitha. PTI[/caption] “BJP’s L Chandrashekhar, who will battle it out against Anitha Kumaraswamy, also filed his nomination,” electoral officials said. L Shivaramegowda of the Janata Dal Secular (JD-S) filed his papers from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, the party’s traditional stronghold in the Vokkaliga community belt in the old Mysuru region. Putting an end to the uncertainty over its candidate for the Ballari Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress Monday announced senior state leader VS Ugrappa as its nominee for the seat. HD Kumaraswamy accompanied Anitha to the Ramanagar deputy commissioner’s office where she filed her nomination papers. She reached the DC officer amid beating of drums,bursting of crackers and sloganeering. Speaking to reporters, the chief minister exuded faith in the electorate of Ramanagara, saying they have never disappointed them and have always blessed the JD(S). “The people of Ramanagara have always blessed us. We are also confident of winning in all the places where by-elections are taking place,” Kumaraswamy said. Chandrashekhar was accompanied by Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda, former deputy chief minister R Ashok and other senior party functionaries during filing of his nomination papers. In Shivamogga, a grand rally preceded filing of the papers by Raghavendra, who had earlier won from the Lok Sabha constituency in 2009. Raghavendra had vacated the Shikaripura Assembly seat to his father in the 2018 polls. The Lok Sabha by-polls were necessitated following the resignations of Yeddyurappa from Shivamogga, CS Puttaraju (JDS) from Mandya and B Sriramulu (BJP) from Ballari. They contested the 2018 May state Assembly polls and got elected. The Ramanagara assembly seat fell vacant as Kumaraswamy, who won from both the Channapatna and Ramanagara, opted to represent the former. The Jamakhandi seat fell vacant after the sitting MLA, Siddu Nyamagouda, was killed in a road accident on 28 May. Tuesday is the last date for filing nominations.