3 former ministers from Karnataka in Congress's first list for Assembly polls

The first list of Congress candidates from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, released on Saturday, includes former ministers B Ramanath Rai, U T Khader and Vinay Kumar Sorake.

Khader is sitting MLA from Mangalore and is a four- time MLA from the constituency. Ramanath Rai, a six time MLA from Bantwal constituency, is all set to contest for the ninth time since 1985. Of the eight elections he contested, Rai had won as many as six times (1985, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2008 and 2013). He tasted defeat in 2004 and 2018 against the BJP. Vinay Kumar Sorake will be contesting from Kaup in Udupi.

Also Read | Congress issues first list of 124 candidates for Karnataka elections: DKS to contest from Kanakpura, Siddaramaiah from Varuna

Mithun Rai, who unsuccessfully contested the previous Lok Sabha elections from Dakshina Kannada, will be the party’s candidate from Moodbidri assembly segment. Leader of Opposition in Council B K Hariprasad’s nephew Rakshith Shivaram will be contesting from Belthangady. Former MLA Vasanth Bangera who had applied for the ticket had already declared that he would not contest the election.

Rakshith Shivaram said that his priority was education, employment, basic infrastructure facilities and providing medical facilities to the people. G Krishnappa will be contesting from reserved Sullia constituency. However his candidature is being stiffly opposed by a ticket aspirant Nandakumar. “My name was in the forefront during a survey conducted by AICC and KPCC. The high command has ignored sentiments of Congress workers in the constituency. I will discuss with workers and take a call on a future course of action,” he informed.

In Udupi, Gopala Poojary will contest from Byndoor and M Dinesh Hegde Molahally from Kundapur in Udupi district. The Congress is yet to announce candidates for Mangalore City South, Mangalore City North, Puttur assembly constituencies (in DK), Udupi and Karkala constituencies (in Udupi).