Karnataka bypolls: 248 candidates from Congress, JD(S) and BJP file nominations for 5 Dec election; scrutiny of papers scheduled for today

Bengaluru: A total of 248 candidates including those belonging to the Congress, JD(S) and ruling BJP have filed their nominations for December 5 bypolls to 15 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, the scrutiny of which would take place on Tuesday, poll officials said. A total of 353 nominations have been filed by the candidates, they said. According to data shared by the office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, 152 candidates had filed 237 nominations on Monday alone, the last date to do so. [caption id=“attachment_7421821” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Among the total 248 candidates who have filed nominations till Monday, 56 are from National parties, 17 from state parties, 47 from registered unrecognised parties, and 128 are Independents. While the highest  – 28 candidates have filed their nomination from Shivajinagar constituency, followed by Hoskote with 27 candidates; Krishnarajpet has least – eight candidates have filed their nominations. While, the scrutiny of nominations would take place on Tuesday, the last date for withdrawal of candidatures was 21 November. Counting of votes would take place on 9 December. The bypolls was necessitated after the resignation and absence of 17 Congress-JD(S) legislators, which led to the collapse of HD Kumaraswamy headed coalition government and paved way for BJP to come to power. Seventeen legislators were subsequently disqualified by the then Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, however the Supreme Court that heard MLAs’ petition challenging the disqualification last week, allowed them to contest the by-election. By winning majority seats crucial for the government’s survival, BJP has fielded 13 disqualified legislators as party candidates from their respective constituencies. Considering the bypolls as a prestige battle, Congress and JD(S) have said ensuring the defeat of disqualified MLAs, who “betrayed” them was their main agenda. Among the 15 constituencies going for bypolls, 12 were held by Congress and three by JD(S).