Karnataka Election: Congress Changes Candidate Against CM Bommai As It Releases Fifth List

Earlier, the party had named Mohammed Yousuf Savanur for the Shiggaon constituency.

Senior Congress leader and party candidate from Varuna seat Siddaramaiah visits Chamundeshwari temple ( Image Source :PTI )

The Congress on Wednesday released its fifth list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka election, fielding Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the high stakes Shiggaon constituency. Earlier, the party had named Mohammed Yousuf Savanur for the Shiggaon seat.

The party selected Dr BC Muddugangadhar to contest from Mulbagal (SC) seat, DK Mohan from KR Pura and AC Srinivasa from Pulakeshinagar.

The Congress has so far announced candidates for 219 out of total 224 seats. The last date for filing of nominations is April 20.

Elections will be held on May 10 and the results will be announced on May 13.

READ | Karnataka Polls: Congress Releases 4th List, Gives Ticket To Former CM Jagadish Shettar

On Tuesday, Congress released its fourth list of seven candidates and gave ticket to former Chief Minister and six-time MLA Jagadish Shettar, who joined the party after quitting BJP. Shettar, a Lingayat leader, has been fielded from Hubli-Dharwad-Central Assembly seat that he currently represents.

Shettar, who had also served as state BJP president, Leader of Opposition, Speaker and minister in the past, left the BJP over being denied the ticket to contest the Assembly polls.

HD Thammaiah, who recently quit BJP and joined the party, has been fielded from Chikkamagaluru. BJP has named national general secretary CT Ravi as its candidate from the seat.

Former deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi, who joined Congress from BJP, has been allotted the ticket from Athani constituency in Belagavi district.

The party has named GB Malatesh as the candidate for Shikaripura constituency from where former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's son BY Vijayendra is contesting.

Siddaramaiah Files Nomination From Varuna

Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah filed his nomination from Varuna constituency and reiterated that this would be his last election.

Siddaramaiah, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, indicated his son and grandson would be his successors. "This is my last election, after that there is Yathindra (son), Dhawan Rakesh (grand son)...", PTI quoted the 75-year-old leader as saying.

Siddaramaiah's younger son Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah is the sitting Congress MLA from Varuna.

Siddaramaiah, an eight-time MLA, had earlier won twice from Varuna. He became the Chief Minister after 2013 Assembly polls.