In a surprise move, KPCC president DK Shivakumar’s brother DK Suresh filed his nomination for the same Kanakapura seat of DKS at the last moment as a backup in the event of a last-minute disqualification of DKS due to the ongoing investigations by the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax (I-T) department against him in alleged money laundering and tax evasion cases.
The move, hours before the deadline for the nomination ended, surprised many.
Suresh, a Congress MP from Karnataka, had earlier said he was not interested in coming to state politics, amid rumours he could be fielded from Ramanagara, against Janata Dal-Secular leader and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy.
DKS is seeking re-election from Kanakapura
DKS is seeking re-election from Kanakapura, a stronghold of the Vokkaliga community to which he belongs. He has won seven assembly election since 1989, by a margin of over 80,000 votes in 2018. The BJP has fielded former minister R Ashoka against him. He is also from the dominant Vokkaliga community and is considered a close aide of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa.
In another surprise, the Congress replaced its candidate against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Shiggaon as it released its fifth list. A day after fielding Mohammed Yousuf Savanur as its candidate from Shiggaon in Haveri, the party nominated Yasir Ahmed Khan Phatan in his place.
Meanwhile, another jolt for BJP
Meanwhile, the BJP suffered another jolt when Ayanur Manjunath, a prominent Lingayat face and party MLC, resigned from the party and joined the Vokkaliga-dominated JD(S). He filed his nomination on Thursday from Shivamogga assembly segment. The JD(S) was running short of Lingayat candidates and Ayanur’s entry may give it a boost. Manjunath flayed BJP leaders, saying they did not follow any instructions from PM Modi. “They have no moral right to utter the name of Modi,” he said.
The process for filing of nominations for the Karnataka Assembly May 10 elections ended Thursday as parties have started gearing up for a tough summer campaigning.
