The Janata Dal (Secular) has fielded 61 candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) for the May 5 Assembly elections.
In a press release here on Sunday, JD(S) State president and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy claimed that his party was ahead of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party when it came to abiding by the principles of social justice. Of the 224 constituencies, 36 are reserved for SC candidates and 15 for ST candidates. Apart from these, the JD(S) has fielded SC or ST candidates in 10 more constituencies: Gandhinagar, Krishnaraja, Shiggaon, Hosadurga, Varuna, Hangal, Channagiri, Saundatti Yellamma, Hirekerur and Davangere North constituencies.
The party has fielded a candidate with physical disability, Tabrez Sanshi, against Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar in Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency. The JD(S) has fielded women in 10 constituencies: Devarahippargi, Shiggaon, Shimoga Rural, Malleswaram, C.V. Raman Nagar, Vijayanagar, Channapatna, Belthangady, Hanur and Belgaum North, , Mr. Kumaraswamy said.
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The party has fielded 20 Muslim candidates and one Christian candidate apart from 13 Kurubas, five Brahmins, 44 Lingayats, 50 Vokkaligas and six from the Reddy community, he added.