Congress candidate from Mangaluru City South, JR Lobo during a roadshow before filing his nomination papers, in Mangaluru on April 20. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Former Congress minister B. Ramnath Rai (Bantwal) and UT Khader (Mangaor) were among the candidates who filed their nominations for the upcoming assembly elections in Coastal Karnataka on Thursday, April 20, the last day for filing nominations. The MLAs, who were denied Congress tickets, rebelled and filed nominations – one as an independent and the other as a Janata Dal (Secular) candidate.
Former minister and Congress candidate from Bantwal assembly constituency B. Ramnath Rai filed his nomination papers in Bantwal on 20 April. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A large number of party workers participated in the road show. Former minister and Congress candidate from Bantwal assembly constituency B. Ramnath Rai filed his nomination in Bantwal on 20 April. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In Mangaluru City North, former Congress MLA BA Mohiuddin Bawa, who was denied ticket by the Congress, quit the party and filed his nomination as Janata Dal (Secular) candidate. In Uttara Kannada’s Kumta, former Congress MLA Sharada Mohan Shetty, who was denied a Congress ticket to contest the elections, turned rebel and filed her nomination as an independent candidate.
BJP candidate from Puttur assembly constituency Asha Thimmappa Gowda filed her nomination papers on April 20 in Puttur. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Among those who filed nominations are former MLAs JR Lobo (Congress-Mangaluru City South), Inayat Ali (Congress-Mangaluru City North), Yashpal Suvarna (BJP-Udupi), Asha Thimmappa Gowda (BJP-Puttur) and Satish Kumpala (BJP-Puttur). ) Are included. Mangaluru).
Inayat Ali, Congress candidate from Mangaluru City North, submits his nomination papers at Mini Vidhana Soudha in Mangaluru on April 20. Photo Credit: HS Manjunath
Mr Rai is contesting from Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada for the ninth time in a row. He was defeated twice in 2004 and 2018. He made it to the Legislative Assembly in 1985, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2008 and 2013. Talking to reporters at BC Road after filing his nomination, Mr Rai said this would be his last election and he would allow youth to contest elections in future.
Khader is contesting for the fifth time
Mr. Khader is facing election for the fifth consecutive term from the erstwhile Ullal (now Mangaluru) constituency in Dakshina Kannada. His first entry into the Legislative Council was through a by-election in 2007 when his father UT Farid passed away while he was an MLA. He later won three elections in 2008, 2013 and 2018.
In Kumta, Ms. Shetty was elected to the Assembly in 2013 as a Congress candidate. She lost the election in 2018 from BJP as a Congress candidate. Though she was a strong contender to contest from the Congress this time, the party denied her a ticket. and chose Nivedita Alva, son of senior Congress leader, former Union Minister and Governor Margaret Alva. Another Congress leader Shivanand Hegde, who also turned rebel and filed his nomination as an independent and later withdrew it on Wednesday, extended his support to Ms. Shetty to contest against Mr. Alva.
Mr. Ali, Mr. Suvarna, Ms. Gowda, Mr. Kumpala are novice candidates for the upcoming assembly elections.