Monday witnessed over 1,000 candidates, including several bigwigs from all political parties, filing nomination papers across the State for the May 5 Assembly elections.
Some of the important leaders who filed their nominations were the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa from Shikaripur, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah from Varuna, State Congress president G. Parameshwara from Korategere, the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy from Ramanagaram and BSR Congress president B. Sriramulu (Bellary Rural) among others.
Over 1,200 nominations were filed across the State on Monday, even as the first three days for filing nominations did not see much activity because they were considered to be “inauspicious” by political leaders. Most of them first visited temples in the constituency before filing their papers.
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Accompanied by large numbers of supporters, several leaders took out massive processions in their constituencies before filing nominations.
However, with the Election Commission not allowing all the supporters to troop into the offices of the returning officers, there was some sense of order while the nominations were being filed.
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The declaration of assets and liabilities filed with the nomination papers showed that many among those fighting these elections have wealth adding up to several crores of rupees, portions of it in the names of their spouses and dependents. In all, 1,226 nominations were filed till Monday evening, including 230 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 263 from the Congress, 189 from the Janata Dal (Secular), 134 from the Karnataka Janata Party and 56 from the BSR Congress.
The former Minister Shobha Karandlaje (KJP) filed her papers in Rajajinagar constituency in Bangalore. She is pitted against Law Minister Suresh Kumar, her erstwhile Cabinet colleague.
Anitha Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) filed her papers in Channapatna, while her husband and JD(S) state President, Mr. Kumaraswamy, accompanied by a large group of party activists, filed his nomination in the neighbouring constituency of Ramanagaram.
Kannada actors Pooja Gandhi of the BSR Congress filed her papers in Raichur city, while Umashree (Congress) filed in Teradal. Sons of the former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa filed their nominations in Sorab. While actor Kumar Bangarappa is the Congress candidate, Madhu Bangarappa represents the JD(S).
Several leaders, including Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, are expected to file their nominations on April 17, the last day for doing so.