JD(S) names candidates for Legislative Council polls

The JD(S) has named its candidates for elections to the Legislative Council from two graduates’ constituencies and two teachers’ constituencies. The elections are scheduled for June 20.

Puttanna will be contesting from the Bangalore Teachers’ constituency. R Chowdareddy Thupalli, who contested from the Teachers’ constituency and lost the elections last time, is the candidate from South-East Graduates’ constituency. Vasantha Basavaraj Horatti, son of Basavaraj Horatti - the sitting MLC from the West Teachers’ constituency - is the candidate from the West Graduates’ constituency. M B Hambalgi is the party’s nominee for the North East Teachers’ constituency. 

While Vasantha Horatti is an MBA from New Zealand and runs the Oxford group of institutions, Hambalgi was a lecturer at the Gulbarga government junior college. He resigned on Monday from his 20 years of government service. 

Vasantha said that the West Graduates’ constituency provides him an ideal platform for raising key issues pertaining to the education sector.

“Though I have been in the private sector, my proximity to education has always been there. This will be my first foray into electoral politics,” said the 37-year-old son of the former education minister.

Hambalgi’s proximity to Horatti also helped him secure the ticket. 

“My proximity to H D Kumaraswamy and Horatti proved to be crucial. I have never been in politics, but the chance to voice the opinion of teachers is hard to resist,” said Hambalgi.