<p>The opening day of nominations for the April 17 Lok Sabha polls in the state witnessed as many as 22 candidates, including BJP’s national general secretary Ananth Kumar, Union Minister K H Muniyappa and JD(S) state president A Krishnappa, file their nomination papers.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Five-term MP Ananth Kumar filed his nomination papers for Bangalore South, a keenly watched constituency, where he is pitted against former Infosys co-founder and Unique Identification Authority of India chief Nandan Nilekani of the Congress.<br /><br />Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises K H Muniyappa filed his papers for Kolar (reserved) constituency where he is seeking re-election for the seventh term. <br /><br />He has been representing the constituency since 1991. <br /><br />The BJP has fielded former legislator M Narayanaswamy from the constituency and is banking on “Modi factor” to break Muniyappa’s winning streak.<br /><br />Former minister Krishnappa, accompanied by former prime minister and JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda, submitted his nomination papers for the Tumkur Lok Sabha seat. He is pitted against sitting MP G S Basavaraj of the BJP and S P Muddahanumegowda of the Congress.<br /><br />Former minister Shobha Karandlaje filed her papers for Udupi-Chikmagalur seat. A keen contest is on the cards here with sitting MP Jayaprakash Hedge in fray for a second term.<br /><br />In Shimoga, Congress candidate Manjunath Bhandary filed his nomination though he is yet to obtain the ‘B’ form from the party.<br /><br />There is a growing demand within the Congress to field former minister Kumar Bangarappa as the party candidate for Shimoga. A keen contest on the cards here, too, with former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa of the BJP and Geetha Shivarajkumar of the JD(S) in the fray. <br /><br />Other prominent candidates who filed their nominations on Wednesday include sitting MP P C Mohan of the BJP from Bangalore Central and former top cop Shankar Bidari, as an independent candidate, from Bagalkot.<br /><br />The last date for filing nominations is March 26. Scrutiny of papers will be taken up the next day. March 29 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations. </p>
<p>The opening day of nominations for the April 17 Lok Sabha polls in the state witnessed as many as 22 candidates, including BJP’s national general secretary Ananth Kumar, Union Minister K H Muniyappa and JD(S) state president A Krishnappa, file their nomination papers.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Five-term MP Ananth Kumar filed his nomination papers for Bangalore South, a keenly watched constituency, where he is pitted against former Infosys co-founder and Unique Identification Authority of India chief Nandan Nilekani of the Congress.<br /><br />Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises K H Muniyappa filed his papers for Kolar (reserved) constituency where he is seeking re-election for the seventh term. <br /><br />He has been representing the constituency since 1991. <br /><br />The BJP has fielded former legislator M Narayanaswamy from the constituency and is banking on “Modi factor” to break Muniyappa’s winning streak.<br /><br />Former minister Krishnappa, accompanied by former prime minister and JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda, submitted his nomination papers for the Tumkur Lok Sabha seat. He is pitted against sitting MP G S Basavaraj of the BJP and S P Muddahanumegowda of the Congress.<br /><br />Former minister Shobha Karandlaje filed her papers for Udupi-Chikmagalur seat. A keen contest is on the cards here with sitting MP Jayaprakash Hedge in fray for a second term.<br /><br />In Shimoga, Congress candidate Manjunath Bhandary filed his nomination though he is yet to obtain the ‘B’ form from the party.<br /><br />There is a growing demand within the Congress to field former minister Kumar Bangarappa as the party candidate for Shimoga. A keen contest on the cards here, too, with former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa of the BJP and Geetha Shivarajkumar of the JD(S) in the fray. <br /><br />Other prominent candidates who filed their nominations on Wednesday include sitting MP P C Mohan of the BJP from Bangalore Central and former top cop Shankar Bidari, as an independent candidate, from Bagalkot.<br /><br />The last date for filing nominations is March 26. Scrutiny of papers will be taken up the next day. March 29 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations. </p>
