Karnataka elections 2023 updates: Congress leader Raghu Achar to join JD(S) today

Meeting of senior leaders of Congress going on at the residence of party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi for the selection of candidates for Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023.

Former MLC and Congress leader Raghu Achar to join JD(S) tomorrow in the presence of party chief HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy.

Karnataka BJP MLA Goolihatti Shekhar tenders his resignation as a Member of the Assembly. Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri accepted his resignation.

"BJP has given tickets to 66 new faces for the upcoming Assembly polls. The party will perform well in the polls. There is no anti-incumbency against the BJP government in Karnataka," said Arun Singh, BJP Karnataka in-charge. He further said not everyone can get an election ticket. Naturally, this causes pain to them. But BJP members work for an ideology with the sentiment of nation first. Every member of the party will unite and work together.

Karnataka minister & BJP leader S T Somashekar Gowda today filed his nomination from Yeshwanthapura Assembly constituency

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar distributes the 'B' form to the party candidates ahead of their nomination filing for Assembly elections.

The way BJP has distributed election tickets in Karnataka has created a negative image for itself in the state. People are unhappy, and their leaders rebelling and quitting. When our opposition is in disarray, it's a big advantage for us. We are united, doing well, announced so many tickets. Our campaign is also better, said Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao in Bengaluru.

"...They (BJP) don't have any face that would get them votes. In Ballari, Amit Shah said, "Vote for us on Modi ji's face." This was while the CM sat beside him. It shows there are no credible faces in BJP. Who is their CM candidate? Let Bommai, the incumbent CM, say that he is going to be the CM. Can they do that? No, because their saleable faces are not getting votes," said Karnataka Congress MLA Priyank Kharge.

"It is their internal matter. If they are fighting among themselves, what can Congress do? We will fight on our strength," said Karnataka Congress MLA Priyank Kharge when asked if Congress sees an advantage for them in the BJP leaders who are disgruntled over ticket distribution.

Karnataka ministers and BJP leaders Dr K Sudhakar and Dr. Murugesh R Nirani today filed their nominations from Chikkaballapur and Bilagi constituencies, respectively.

The BJP continued to face heat and resorted to fire-fighting following the announcement of 212 candidates for the May 10 Assembly polls in two lists, with disappointed aspirants raising a banner of revolt. Mudigere BJP MLA M P Kumaraswamy and Haveri MLA Nehru Olekar on Thursday announced their resignation from the primary membership of the party, after they were denied tickets. The BJP on Tuesday announced its first list of 189 candidates and a second list of 23 on Wednesday night. With a total 224 seats in the Assembly, the party is yet to name contestants for 12 seats.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a jibe at the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party over serious of resignations in Karnataka BJP saying, 'dekha maine jo kaha tha wahi hua' (You saw.. what was said happened).

The ruling BJP has announced its second list of 23 candidates for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, denying tickets to seven sitting MLAs, including Madal Virupakshappa, who was recently arrested on corruption charges. The party had released its first list of 189 candidates on Tuesday. The latest list released on Wednesday does not include Hubli-Dharwad Central segment, from where former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar wants to contest, and Shivamogga city, where sitting MLA and former Minister K S Eshwarappa has announced his retirement from electoral politics. Shettar has been asked by the party top brass to make way for youngsters, but he has asserted he wants to contest one last time. The list includes four SC, one ST and two women candidates. There are several new faces in the second list.

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to list for hearing a plea challenging the Karnataka government's decision to scrap the four per cent reservation for Muslims in the state.

After being denied a ticket from Mudigere, sitting BJP MLA MP Kumaraswamy resigns as MLA. He will meet the speaker today and submit his resignation. He is likely to Join JDS.

"My honesty was my setback. Lobbying was not my hobby. I won't be in politics anymore, not even in the election campaign." Party (BJP) can take care of the new candidate," Angara S, Karnataka Minister on ticket being denied to him.

Discontent seems to be brewing within the ruling BJP in Karnataka, with the party facing the heat after announcing its first list of candidates for the May 10 Assembly polls, as some ticket aspirants who missed the bus openly expressed displeasure. With the BJP denying him the ticket from Athani, former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on Wednesday announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the party. Minister and six-time MLA S Angara from Sullia constituency in Dakshina Kannada district announced his retirement from politics today, after failing to get a ticket again. Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat, who was also overlooked by BJP, said he was deeply pained by the treatment meted out to him by the party.

The BJP on Wednesday announced its second list of 23 candidates for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, denying tickets to seven sitting MLAs, including Madal Virupakshappa who was recently arrested on corruption charges. The party released its first list of 189 candidates on Tuesday. The latest list does not include Hubli-Dharwad Central segment, from where former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar wants to contest. It also does not include candidate for the Shivamogga city segment, where sitting MLA and former minister K S Eshwarappa has announced his retirement from electoral politics.