Shettar files nomination papers for Karnataka bypolls
Congress leader Jagadish Shettar files nomination papers for the upcoming state legislative assembly bypolls in Karnataka
Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who recently joined the Congress party and lost May 2023 assembly election, has filed his nomination papers as the party’s candidate for the upcoming state Legislative Assembly bypolls in Karnataka.
The bypolls, scheduled for June 30, will fill three seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council. Shettar submitted his nomination papers to MK Vikalakshi, secretary of the Karnataka assembly and election officer, in the presence of top Congress leaders, including chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, and minister MP Patil.
Shettar’s nomination comes amidst rumours that he might be offered the position of chairperson of the Karnataka Legislative Council. However, senior leaders said that Shettar has expressed his preference for a ministerial post instead. “He is insisting on the minister post. Deliberations are on,” said a cabinet minister who didn’t wish to be named.
Alongwith Shettar, Tippannappa Kamaknoor and NS Boseraju also filed their nominations for the bypolls. The vacancies in the Council arose when Laxman Savadi, Baburao Chinchansur, and R Shankar resigned from their MLC positions after being denied tickets by the BJP for the assembly elections.
Shettar, a former BJP leader, left the party due to ticket denial and subsequently joined the Congress. However, he faced defeat in the assembly elections, securing only 36.31% of the vote share in his Hubballi – Dharwad Central constituency, losing to BJP’s Mahesh Tenginakai.
When questioned about his ministerial ambitions, Shettar expressed his willingness to accept any position offered to him by the party. “Today, me, along with Boseraju and Tippanna have submitted our nomination… I have told the party that I am ready to accept any post given to me,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a setback for Shettar, the BJP managed to secure victory in the Hubballi-Dharwad City Corporation elections held in Dharwad on Tuesday, retaining the mayor and deputy mayor positions. Veena Chetana Baradwada was elected as the mayor, while Satish Hanagal assumed the role of deputy mayor. BJP candidate Veena received 46 votes, while Congress candidate Suvarna Kallakuntla garnered 37 votes.
The Hubballi-Dharwad corporation elections held immense significance for both the ruling Congress and BJP parties, with the corporation consisting of 82 seats. The BJP currently holds 39 seats, while the Congress has 33 members. Additionally, AIMIM has three seats, JD (S) has one, and six seats belong to independent candidates. Including MPs, MLAs, and MLCs, the corporation has a total of 89 seats.
Shettar had collaborated with Minister for Information and Infrastructure Santosh Lad, as well as Congress MLAs Vinay Kulkarni and Prasad Abbaiah, in an effort to secure victory for Congress candidates in the corporation elections. The competition was fierce, leading the BJP to safeguard its corporation members by relocating them to a resort to prevent any defections. The results have been seen as a triumph for Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi.
Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai extended his congratulations to the BJP leaders and workers for their success in the elections. “It is a matter of pride that the BJP mayoral candidate is elected for the consecutive 12th time for Hubballi-Dharwad corporation,” he said.
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Stay updated Karnataka Election Results 2024 and with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Bengaluru. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and more across India . Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.