Karnataka Elections 2023: CM Basavaraj Bommai files nomination from Shiggaon constituency for upcoming polls

Karnataka: BJP leader & Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar to resign from the party on Sunday. "There is a conspiracy against me, will tell everything after resigning," said Jagadish Shettar.

Union ministers & BJP leaders Dharmendra Pradhan and Pralhad Joshi along with CM Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar at his residence in Hubballi.

Dharmendra Pradhan, Prahlad Joshi and CM Basavaraj Bommai will meet senior BJP leader Jagadish Shettar at his residence in Hubballi. Jagadish Shettar is angry with the party for not being given ticket and has warned to contest as an independent. "Karnataka election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, CM Bommai and Pralhad Joshi coming to meet today. After the meeting, I will take a decision. Earlier, I was supposed to file a nomination by April 17 or 18, now, that might change. All parties want to take the opportunity of the situation," said Jagdish Shettar.

Karnataka: BM Mallikarjuna also known as 'Fighter Ravi' resigns from the primary membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will contest at least 40 seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, party state president Hari R said on Saturday. "We will fight in at least 40 seats in the upcoming elections. Four to five sitting MLAs of the BJP are in touch with us to join the party. The (former) mayor of Bengaluru may also join our party soon," Hari R told ANI.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has assets of Rs 49.70 crore, reveals his election affidavit filed before the returning officer on Saturday to contest for the May 10 Assembly elections from Shiggaon constituency in Haveri district. The investment details show that he has movable properties of Rs 5.98 crore, while he got Rs 1.57 crore as wealth got from the Hindu Undivided Family.

His wife Channamma has invested Rs 1.14 crore and daughter Aditi Rs 1.12 crore. Since his son Bharat Bommai is not dependent on his father, his investment details have not been entioned. However, Basavaraj Bommai has given Rs 14.74 lakh to his son Bharat.

The Chief Minister has immovable properties of Rs 42.15 crore which includes Rs 19.2 crore from the Hindu Undivided Family. Bommai has a liability of Rs 5.79 crore. The affidavit shows that Bommai purchased nearly three acres of land in Tarihala village in Hubballi Taluk of Dharwad when he was a chief minister on March 26, 2022. In all, Bommai and his dependents have assets worth Rs 52.12 crore.

"I have explained everything to him, and a solution will be there. I am still hopeful; I believe in the party high command. I have not spoken to any other political party," said BJP leader and former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar on his meeting with party leader and Union minister Pralhad Joshi in Hubballi over election ticket in upcoming Assembly elections.

In a rebellious tone, former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who was asked by the BJP high command to drop his candidature for the Assembly election from Hubli-Dharwad Central segment, has said denying him a ticket will have a bearing on at least 20 to 25 seats in the state. Addressing reporters here, the senior BJP leader said he would wait for the party's decision on the ticket till Sunday to decide his next course of action. The BJP has not yet released the list of candidates for 12 constituencies, including Hubli-Dharwad Central. "I will wait till tomorrow and then I will decide my next course of action," Shettar told reporters here on Friday night. When questioned about the impact on the BJP for treating senior party functionaries in such a manner, he said the ruling dispensation has to think about it.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday held a meeting of party leaders at the party office in Mumbai.NCP is likely to field candidates in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, according to sources. During the 2018 polls, NCP contested 14 seats in Karnataka. At today's meeting national leaders of the NCP were present.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that he feels sad for former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi who left the BJP and noted that the Congress does not have candidates on 60 seats and will not benefit from "some people" it has recruited.He also said that the demand for tickets in the ruling BJP is high and that real workers do not leave the party.

Karnataka Fisheries Minister S Angara, who had announced his decision to quit politics after he was denied ticket to contest from Sullia assembly segment, retracted his statement on Friday saying he will campaign for BJP candidate Bhagirathi Murulya. Addressing reporters in Sullia, Angara, a six-time MLA from the constituency in Dakshina Kannada district, said his abrupt reaction was out of disillusionment after the denial of ticket. He will campaign for the party candidate in Sullia, he said. Angara also said he has changed his mind and was grateful the party for the opportunities given to him all these years. “I was given ticket to contest several times from the Sullia constituency. I have not indulged in any corruption or shown discrimination towards anyone in my political career,” Angara said. With Angara’s change of mind, two leaders of BJP in the coastal region who revolted against the party, have gone back to their home turf. Earlier, Raghupati Bhat MLA, who was denied ticket for Udupi and openly expressed his anger, had also later come forward to campaign for the new party candidate there.

The Communist Party of India, which recently lost its national party status, will contest the Karnataka election on its 'ears of corn and sickle' symbol, party MP Binoy Viswam said Friday. The CPI was recognised as a 'national party' in 1989. It is the only political party to contest all general elections on the same electoral symbol and has maintained an uninterrupted presence in the Lok Sabha. It was the first non-Congress party to form government in any state and since then has been part of many governments. To use its poll symbol in a state where it is not a recognised party, CPI will have to seek the Election Commission's permission. "In the Karnataka election, CPI will contest on the symbol 'ears of corn and sickle' that used to be the party's election symbol ever since 1952. The CPI will strive hard to retain it," Viswam said in a tweet. The major advantage of a 'national tag' is that the party can have a common symbol across the country for its candidates thus making it easier for people to recognise it. The nomination process for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly poll began on April 13 with April 20 being the last date to file the papers.

The Congress party released a list of party election observers for Bangalore City and Assembly Level Observers to oversee the Election Preparations for the Assembly Elections in Karnataka-2023. A total of 61 observers in the state have been appointed by Congress to oversee the election preparations for the upcoming elections in Karnataka. Congress President has approved the proposal for the appointment of AICC Observers for Bangalore City and AICC Assembly Level Observers to oversee the Election Preparations for the ensuing Assembly Elections in Karnataka-2023, in selective assembly segment/assigned to each of them, as follows, with immediate effect. The party has appointed 5 observers to Bangalore City from the list of 61 observers.