Karnataka Assembly Election 2018 updates: Amit Shah to kick-off campaign on Thursday; Congress to release first list

I am going to get a minimum lead of 30,000-40,000: Yeddyurappa

(Updates begin for 19 April)

BS Yeddyurappa holds roadshow before filing nomination for Karnataka polls

Disgruntled with Congress’ list of candidates, partymen take to streets, vandalise district offices

Disgruntled with the party high command’s first list of candidates in the upcoming Assembly Elections in Karnataka, Congress party workers took to streets on Monday to express their anger. Media visuals showed party workers chanting anti-Siddaramaiah slogans, burning tyres, effigies etc on the streets. ( Read more )

At least five candidates in BJP’s second list have tainted past

The BJP’s second list of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections on 12 May contains at least five names with a tainted past. The list, comprising 82 names, has candidates, who were acquitted in corruption, forgery, cheating and rape cases. At least two of them had spent quite some time in jail on charges of cheating and forgery.PTI ( Read more here)

BJP announces second list of candidates for Karnataka polls, no Muslims or Christians given ticket

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday has announced its second list of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections scheduled for 12 May 2018.While the BJP’s first list of candidates included seasoned politicians like five-time MLA S Angara, an MLA from Sullia, it has fielded new faces from other constituencies in the state. The party’s chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa is slated to contest from Shikaripura. ( Read more here )

No ticket for Congress MLA NA Haris from Shanti Nagar 

Congress MLA NA Haris from Shanti Nagar has not been given a ticket. A month before, his son Mohammad Nalapad, was arrested in connection with an assault case. – Input by Prabhu Mallikarjunan/ 101 Reporters

Congress announces first list of 218 candidates for Karnataka polls

BJP leader Prakash Khandre calls bandh in Bhalki

BJP leader Prakash Khandre of Bhalki constituency in Bidar and his supporters called for a Bhalki bandh on 17 April after they suspected that Khandre would not be given a ticket. Input from Lakshmi Bhavge/101reporters

RECAP: Kannadigas have full faith in us, says Siddaramaiah

RECAP: Not going to contest Assembly elections, says BS Yeddyurappa’s son BY Raghavendra

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Resting all speculation of his candidature at the upcoming Karnataka assembly polls, BY Raghavendra on 12 April said that he will limit his role only as a ‘karyakartha’ of the party.

“This election I am not going to contest at all. The party has entrusted me a responsibility as the co-convener of the district election committee in Shivamogga. I will stick to that,” Raghavendra said in an interview for Firstpost.

Dinesh Gundu Rao says ‘slipper’ comment on Yogi Adityanath was moment of ’emotional outburst’

Unsure of implications, Congress in Karnataka treads cautiously on Lingayat issue

Wary of electoral implications, political parties in Karnataka seem to have toned down on the contentious issue of “religious minority” status to the dominant Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats in the run-up to the 12 May Assembly polls.

After having taken a huge gamble despite sharp divisions within the Siddaramaiah government in an apparent move to take away a significant slice of the Lingayat/Veerashaiva vote bank that has largely stayed with the BJP, the ruling party is now treading cautiously on the issue.

The Congress that heavily invested on the issue, with a few cabinet Lingayat ministers themselves spearheading the movement demanding a “separate religion” tag, is now cautious as it fears that the issue could swing either way for the party, as it has been accused of dividing the Hindu community. – PTI

‘Congress insulted entire Hindu community’: BJP claims over ‘slipper’ comment on Yogi Adityanath

Nargund agitation enters 1003rd day, to figure in nearly 30 Assembly constituencies in upcoming polls

The agitation in Nargund to divert water from the Mahadayi river to the region entered its 1003rd day on 13 April, reported The Indian Express . 

The lack of drinking water across Karnataka is a major poll issue, often acknowledged by Congress and BJP, is expected to figure in nearly 30 Assembly consituencies in the upcoming state elections.

RECAP: EC panel says poll schedule was not leaked, but mere speculation

An in-house committee set up by the Election Commission to probe the alleged leak of Karnataka poll schedule minutes before the official announcement, said on 13 April the information was not leaked but mere speculation .

The committee noted that the media has speculated election schedules before and it seemed similar attempts were made in the case of Karnataka elections.

“As pointed out by (a private TV channel) in its response…, the alleged leak was not a leak and was merely speculation. Thus, the committee is of the opinion that there was no leak of schedule of elections to Karnataka Legislative Assembly 2018,” the committee said it its report.

Rs 22 cr illegal cash seized in Karnataka since model code of conduct enforced

The Election Commission’s surveillance squads and police officials have seized over Rs 22 crore illegal cash since the model code of conduct was put in force on 27 March in poll-bound Karnataka, the state’s Chief Electoral Officer said on Saturday.

“The EC squads and police authorities have so far seized cash over Rs 22.34 crore, besides 7.5kg gold valued at Rs 1.76 crore, unspecified amount of silver worth over Rs 12 lakh, 10 sarees and 160 laptops, among other items, for violation of the model code of conduct in force for the May 12 state legislative Assembly election,” said CEO Sanjiv Kumar in a statement in Bengaluru. – IANS

Dinesh Gundu Rao hits back at BJP, ‘wonders’ how many yogis and saints have Adityanath’s ’track record’

BJP demands Election Commission register case against Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao

‘Was emotional while making comments,’ KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao defends his comments on Adityanath

“I made the comments in emotion. Let them (BJP) protest against me, but shouldn’t Uttar Pradesh do something about the Unnao victim? Don’t compare Yogi ADityanath to swamijis in Karnataka. They are respectable people.” KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao told India Today in response to BJP’s demand for an apology for his remarks on the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

Yogi Adityanath should be ‘beaten with slippers’, says Dinesh Gundu Rao; BJP demands apology

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Dinesh Gundu Rao demanded Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s resignation over the Unnao rape case and reportedly said that he should be “beaten with slippers”.

Speaking at an event organised by Congress in Bengaluru to protest against Unnao and Kathua rape cases, Rao said that Adityanath is unfit to be a chief minister. 

BJP has taken a sharp objection to Rao’s choice of words and demanded an apology from the Congress leader.

RECAP: KS Eshwarappa, Yeddyurappa’s arch rival in BJP, to contest from Shivamogga city 

In a crucial move, BJP has given KS Eshwarappa , Yeddyurappa’s arch rival, the ticket to contest from Shivamogga city assembly constituency. The move is seen as an attempt by the BJP top brass to put an end to the rift between the two leaders. Currently the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, party workers had expressed their discontent that if Eshwarappa was offered the ticket, BJP would be defeated, as was the case in the 2013 Assembly polls.

RECAP: BS Yeddyurappa to contest from his home turf Shikaripura assembly constituency 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its first list of 72 candidates for the 12 May Karnataka Assembly Election on 8 April, which included prominent names such as the party’s chief ministerial face BS Yeddyurappa, veterans such as KS Eshwarappa, B Sreeramulu, and Jagadish Shettar among others.

Here’s a quick look at some of the key candidates mentioned in the first list:

BS Yeddyurappa, the Karnataka BJP head and former chief minister, is one of the only two Members of Parliament (MPs) who has been given a ticket to contest the state polls. He will be contesting from his home turf Shikaripura assembly constituency in Shivamogga district.

Projected as the party’s chief ministerial candidate, Yeddyurappa has been elected from Shikaripura to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly for seven terms in the past. A prominent leader of the Lingayat community, the BJP state chief tried to float his own party, Karnataka Janata Party, prior to the 2013 Assembly polls but later joined hands with BJP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

RECAP: BJP releases first list of candidates for Karnataka polls on 8 April

The BJP on 8 April released its first list of 72 candidates to contest in the 12 May Karnataka Assembly elections for the 224 seats across the southern state.

Among the candidates are many of the party’s 48 sitting or outgoing legislators from the state’s northern, central and southern region, including Bengaluru, which has 28 assembly constituencies.

Prominent nominees are the party’s chief ministerial face BS Yeddyurappa from Shikaripura, KS Eshwarappa from Shivamogga, Jagadish Shettar from Hubli-Dharwad Central, Basavaraj Bommai from Shiggaon, CM Udasi from Hangal, KV Hegde from Sirsi and B. Sriramulu from Molakalmuru (reserved).

Rahul Gandhi likely to make at least three visits to Karnataka

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With the Karnataka Assembly poll date nearing, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is likely to make at least three visits to the state, intensifying the party’s campaigning as it seeks to retain power there, sources said.

Sources said Gandhi is expected to fan those areas of the state which he has not visited yet as part of his Jana Aashirwada Yatre. “All his rallies and meetings till now have received a good response. There is a feeling among Karnataka workers that he should cover more areas in the four regions of the state to ensure our victory,” a party leader said. – PTI

Congress BJP to release candidates list today

Congress and BJP are all set to release the list of candidates on Sunday. While the Congress is expected to release its first list of candidates by 3 pm, according to sources, BJP will release its second list later on Sunday night.

Former BJP MLA Seema Masuti to contest as an Independent from Dharwad constituency

Amit Shah to kick off sixth leg of campaign in Karnataka on Thursday

BJP president Amit Shah will tour northern parts of the state from Thursday on his sixth round of campaigning in poll-bound Karnataka, where the saffron party is going all out to unseat the Congress. During his two-day trip, the BJP chief will take part in campaigns, protests and meet Lingayat and Veerashaiva seers. Shah will hold a sit-in at Hubballi joining Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party MPs to protest the recent washout of the Budget Session of Parliament. Read more here.

Muslims want Cong to give community one seat in each district

 A group of Muslim leaders from Karnataka on Tuesday demanded that the Congress party reserve at least one constituency in each district of the state for Muslim candidates.

According to a report by The Times of India , reeling off statistics of Muslim population, leaders from the community say that the Muslim candidates can win as many as 28 seats with the support of a sizeable 12 percent population.

Freebies, liquor cash flow free in Karnataka as BJP, Congress spar over MCC violations 

Since 27 March, when the Model Code of Conduct came into effect in Karnataka, Rs 4.69 crore cash has been seized in the state by the surveillance teams for violation of the poll code.

Freebies for voters worth over Rs 9.96 crore were also seized by the poll officials. About 10,500 litres of liquor valued at Rs 46 lakh was also seized by the state’s Excise Department.

Meanwhile BJP and Congress have been accusing each other of poll code violations. While Congress filed a complaint against Amit Shah for offering Rs 5 lakh to the family of a deceased BJP worker, the saffron party claimed that Siddaramaiah had given a “bribe” of Rs 2,000 each to two women who welcomed him during his visit to Chamundeshwari.

Karnataka state EC to use 5,000 new EVMs in Bengaluru for Karnataka polls

A total of 5,000 advanced EVMs and VVPATs which can automatically detect errors and any tampering with the vote will be used in Bengaluru for the May 12 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election, the state’s Chief Electoral Official said on Tuesday.

Bengaluru-based Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) will be supplying these advanced election machinery to used in the city for the ensuing elections on a pilot basis. “The new machines, which will be used for the first time in the state, will be deployed in the constituencies of Bengaluru,” Kumar said.

Each EVM consists of a control unit and a balloting unit. As of date, there are 89,206 balloting units and 76,192 control units in the state. “These units are enough for the 58,546 polling stations across 224 assembly segments in the state,” Kumar added. 

IANS

Kin of Karnataka’s first CM hopes to revive legacy

Holding firmly on to a slice of history, the granddaughter-in-law of undivided Karnataka’s first chief minister, KC Reddy, has been camping in the national capital, hoping to fight an election for an Assembly seat in the state.

For the last two days, Vasantha Kavitha Shrikar KC Reddy has been waiting anxiously outside the Congress party’s electoral war room at 15 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, where its screening committee is finalising the candidates.

Vasantha, whose husband is a businessman, is the first member of the family after the late chief minister to enter politics. “He (Reddy) did not encourage the family to join politics. But I felt the need to spread his legacy and work for people like him,” the 40-year-old Congress member said.

Congress claims ‘fake’ candidate list doing rounds in media, blames BJP IT cell

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said the Congress party had not yet finalised the list of candidates for the upcoming state assembly polls and that a “fake” list was in circulation to create confusion.

The fake list not only showed Leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge as a candidate, but had senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandis’ signature. However, the makers of the list were perhaps unaware of the fact that Fernandes is unwell and is undergoing treatment in Delhi. He no longer is the authorised signatory for such lists. 

The AICC secretary in charge of Karnataka and former MP Madhu Yashki Goud directly blamed the BJP IT Cell responsible for it. Threatening a criminal action against the BJP, he said that the saffron party had “mastered the art of fake news to misguide the people".

BJP complains to state CEO, says police acting like ‘Congress’ puppets and creating issues for them

The BJP on Tuesday complained to the state poll panel’s chief that the police were acting like the ruling Congress’ “puppet,” harassing and implicating its party workers in criminal cases in the run-up to the 12 May Assembly polls.

In its memorandum to Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar, the saffron party also complained of ‘rigid and arbitrary" interpretation of the model code by poll panel’s officials and said it was creating problems for them. “It is beyond our imagination why the EC is creating obstructions to the smooth conduct of the in-house programme,” the memorandum said.

Accusing police of harassing BJP workers and its others sympathisers, the memorandum said false cases were being lodged against them.

It also alleged that officials were preventing party workers from holding bike rally, though BJP is a cadre-based party having a large base of workers who voluntarily want to participate in the programmes.

The party sources said the CEO assured the leaders that he would look into their grievances.

PTI

Swaraj India to field popular farmer leader KS Puttanaiah’s son Darshan from Melkotes

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KS Puttannaiah, MLA of the Karnataka Sarvodaya Party, who represented Melkote segment, died of a massive cardiac arrest in February 2018.  Swaraj India has fielded his son Darshan from the same seat. Now according to  The News Minute , Congress is planning to lend support to Darshan. 

“The Congress is planning to not field any candidate from Melkote but instead back Darshan Puttanaiah who will be contesting from Swaraj India party. KS Puttanaiah was loved by the people of Mandya, it seems like the right choice to back his son,” the Congress source told The News Minute.

Report on poll code ‘violation’ by Amit Shah under scrutiny: CEO

Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar today said the report on alleged violation of model code of conduct by BJP President Amit Shah for giving Rs five lakh to the family of a deceased party worker is under scrutiny. 

“The mother of the deceased person had earlier given some statement before some television channel, but she has changed her version now. She is now saying, neither has she received any cheque nor has she been given an assurance in this regard,” he told reporters here. 

“This has been mentioned in the divisional commissioner’s report.. The report is under scrutiny,” he added.