The Karnataka election is all set to be to held on May 10 and the results will be announced on May 13. The state will witness a triangular contest between the BJP, Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular). The saffron party which is seeking a return in the state has fielded candidates in all 224 Assembly constituencies, while the Congress is contesting 223 seats and has left the remaining seat for Sarvodaya Karnataka Party. The former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo HD Kumaraswamy-led party will be contesting in 209 seats, and support other parties in seven seats.
Here are the key constituencies to watch out for:
Shiggaon Assembly Constituency
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has fielded his nomination from the Shiggaon constituency in Haveri district. The Congress party, a day before the deadline for filing nomination papers, changed its candidate and fielded Yasir Ahled Khan Pathan against him. It had dropped Mohammed Yousuf Savanur from the seat. The Janata Dal (Secular) has fielded Sashidhar Channabasappa Yaligar against the two candidates.
Kanakapura Assembly Constituency
The Kanakapura constituency in Ramnagar district is one of the key constituencies of the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar is a possible chief ministerial candidate for the party. He has been elected from the constituency in the last three Assembly elections.
Shivakumar’s brother DK Suresh has also filed his nomination from the same constituency just to be on the safer side in the event of rejection of Shivakumar’s papers on technical grounds.
Their opponent candidate from the BJP is Karnataka revenue minister and senior leader R Ashok. His traditional constituency has been Bengaluru’s Padmanabha Nagar, but the party has decided to pit him against Shivakumar.
The JDS has fielded B Nagaraj from the constituency.
Shikaripura Assembly Constituency
The Shikaripura constituency in Shivamogga district is one of the key constituencies to watch out for. After much drama and speculation, the BJP has fielded veteran Karnataka leader and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s son B Y Vijayendra from the Shikaripura seat. His father, who has retired from electoral politics, has won from Shikaripura seven times since 1983. Opposition Congress has fielded GB Malatesh from the seat.
Udupi Assembly Constituency
The sensitive Udupi Assembly constituency, which was at the centre of the hijab controversy, is also a seat to watch out for.
The BJP has fielded one of the most vocal voices against students seeking to wear hijab to college premises in Karnataka, Yashpal Suvarna from the Udupi seat in its first list.
The vice-president of the Development Committee of Udupi Government PU Girls’ College, which was at the heart of the hijab row, Suvarna had been among the most hardline voices during the whole controversy.
The Congress has fielded automobile entrepreneur Prasadraj Kanchan from the seat, while the JD(S) has fielded Dakshat R Shetty from the seat.
Varuna Assembly Constituency
The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will contest from the Varuna Assembly constituency, which is currently held by his son, Yateendra. The BJP has fielded V Somanna from the seat. He is also contesting from the Chamarajanagar seat.
Channapatna Assembly Constituency
The Channapatna Assembly seat, which is dominated by the Vokkaliga community, is one of the constituencies located in the Ramanagara district. Former ‘kingmaker’ and CM HD Kumaraswamy is the JD(S) candidate from the Assembly constituency. He had won the seat in the last Assembly elections.
The JD(S) veteran will face off BJP leader CP Yogeshwara, who contested from the seat on a Samajwadi Party ticket and had won the elections against Kumaraswamys wife Anita Kumaraswamy.
The Congress candidate from the seat is S Gangadhar.