Even as the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have kept voters guessing by not declaring their candidates for two constituencies each in Dakshina Kannada, two candidates from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) filed their papers on Friday, the second day of filing nominations.
Vasantha Achari, a member of the district secretariat of the CPI (M) filed his nomination for the Mangalore City South constituency while Krishnappa Salian, another office-bearer of the party, filed his nomination for Mangalore (Ullal) constituency.
If T. Ismail, an independent candidate filed his papers from Mangalore constituency, two more Adbul Majid Khan and Akbar Ali, filed their nominations as independent candidates from Bantwal Assembly constituency on Friday. Abdul Siddique and Ibrahim filed their papers as independents from Puttur.
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A release from the district office of the BJP said that N. Yogish Bhat, Deputy Speaker in the Legislative Assembly and four-term MLA of the party, would file his papers from Mangalore City South constituency on Monday. The release said the party held meeting at its office on Friday to discuss the strategies to face the May 5 Assembly elections.
The BJP, however, is yet to declare its candidates for Moodbidri and Belthangady constituencies. In Moodbidri the BJP’s candidate would have to face the K. Abhayachandra Jain, three-term MLA of the Congress and K. Amarnath Shetty, two-term MLA and former minister, of the Janata Dal (Secular).
In Belthangady the BJP’s candidate would have to face K. Vasanth Bangera, a four-term MLA, of the Congress.
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The Congress is also dragging its feet on the candidate for Mangalore City North constituency where the BJP has fielded its two-term MLA and former district-in-charge minister J. Krishna Palemar. Former party MLA K. Vijaya Kumar Shetty, the party leaders Moidin Bava and Kripa Alva are said to be vying for the party ticket. The party is considering names of former MLA and former MP Vinay Kumar Sorake and former MLA T. Shakuntala Shetty to win back Puttur from the BJP. April 17 would be the last day for filing nominations. They would be scrutinised on April 18. The last day for withdrawal would be April 20. Voting would be held on May 5 and the counting would take place on May 8.