Bengaluru: As April 24 was the last day to withdraw nomination papers for the Karnataka Assembly elections , many candidates of BJP and Congress who planned to contest as rebel candidates have withdrawn their nomination papers.
Rebel Congress candidates were in fray in 31 constituencies. The party leaders have succeeded in getting a handful of them to withdraw their nomination papers. Congress is facing defeat in many constituencies due to rebellion. That is why State Congress in-charge Randeep Singhh Surjewala, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D. K. Shivakumar, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and other leaders have been continuously talking to the rebel candidates and tried to persuade the rebel candidates to withdraw from the fray. This effort has been successful in some areas but not in the other. In major constituencies, the rebels are still in fray.
Gangambike, a powerful Congress rebel candidate from Bengaluru’s Chikkapete Assembly constituency, has withdrawn from the fray. State Congress In-Charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, KPCC President Shivakumar, and Working President Ramalingareddy have had a talk with her.
Similarly, Ravikumar and Narayan Swamy, who contested as rebel candidates from Shivamogga Rural Constituency, have withdrawn their nomination papers. Soraba Congress Candidate Madhu Bangarappa inforned this at his Shivamogga residence and added that he had talked to them and persuaded them on the instructions of KPCC President D. K. Shivakumar.
Rebel candidate Altaf Kittoor, who contested from the Hubballi-Dharawad Central constituency where former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, is contesting has withdrawn papers following dialogue with Jagadish Shettar and MLA Prasad Abbaiah.
Venkatesh Heggade, who had filed his nomination as a Congress rebel candidate for the Sirsi-Siddapura constituency in Uttara Kannada District, has also withdrawn his nomination. Siddaramaiah’s talks with Hosabale were successful and he announced his decision to withdraw his nomination.
Kumta Congress rebel candidate from Uttara Kannada District Sharada Shetty has withdrawn her nomination paper and announced her retirement from electoral politics.
Addressing a press conference at Kumta, she said that she had taken this decision on the request of KPCC President D. K. Shivakumar. She said that DKS has promised to give her the post of MLC or Chairman of the Corporation Board.
Bagalakote District Teradal Legislative Assembly Constituency Congress party rebel candidate Dr. A. R. Belagali has withdrawn his nomination. He has announced that he will not support Congress even if he withdraws his nomination papers. He said that he would support another rebel candidate of Congress, Dr. Padmajit Nad Gowda.
Krishnamurthy Acharya, the rebel Congress candidate in Udupi, has withdrawn his nomination. KPCC President DKS, who is on a tour of Udupi district talked to Krishnamurthy and succeeded in getting the party’s official candidate Prasad Raj Kanchan to embrace him in the open meeting.
H. D. Rajesh Gowda, who contested as a rebel candidate of BJP in Kunigal Assembly constituency of Tumakuru District, has withdrawn from the fray. Party ticket aspirant H. D. Rajesh Gowda had submitted his nomination as a non-party candidate. He has announced that he will stay in the party and work hard for the candidate’s victory. Also, Former MP Muddahanumegowda has given his support to the BJP candidate. He left Congress and joined BJP seeking ticket.
Gadag District Shirahatti Reserve Constituency MLA Ramanna Lamani, who was the cause of intense curiosity, has also withdrawn from the field. Ramanna, who is a sitting MLA entered the fray after he missed a ticket.u This time BJP has fielded party leader Chandra Lamani in this constituency. Thus, Ramanna Lamani had entered the fray as a rebel candidate. Former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa, Party Vice President Vijayendra talked to him and persuaded him. Along with this, Bhimsingh Rathod, and Gurunath Danappanavar, who had entered the fray as they were deprived of tickets, have also withdrawn from the fray.
S. A. Manjunath, who was in the fray as a rebel candidate in Chitradurga Assembly constituency has also withdrawn his nomination. BJP leader A. S. Manjunath was in fray against BJP candidate Lingamurthy as a non-party candidate. He has withdrawn his nomination and said that he would support independent candidate T. Manjunath. Fed up with the behaviour of BJP leaders, I filed nomination papers as a non-party member. I happily withdrew the nomination paper without succumbing to any lure, he said and add s that he has extended his support to T. Manjunath, who has contested as a non-party candidate.
Rebellion in Dharawad Constituency has been quelled by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. He negotiated between MLA Amrita Desai and Activist Basavaraj Koravar and made Basavaraj Koravar, who had submitted his nomination as a rebel candidate, to withdraw his nomination.