Davanagere bypoll: Shamanur Shivashankarappa's grandson Samartha files nomination before Congress announces his name

Davanagere: The Shamanur family has officially entered the byelection fray even before the Congress has officially named its candidate for the Davanagere South Assembly seat.

Samarth Shamanur, grandson of Congress veteran late Shamanur Shivashankarappa, on Friday filed two sets of nomination papers -- as the Congress candidate without the 'B' form and as an independent.
Samarth was accompanied by his mother, Prabha Mallikarjun, MP, when he submitted his nomination papers to the Returning Officer.

"I am fully confident that I will get the Congress 'B' form. I filed my nomination today as it was an auspicious day. I will file my nomination papers again, accompanied by State leaders, on Monday,' Samarth told reporters.

'Shamanur Shivashankarappa was the one who built the Congress in Davanagere district. He was a power centre for the Congress in central Karnataka. I have his blessings. I will take leaders of the Muslim community into confidence and face the election," he said.

Prabha said she was confident of her son getting the party ticket. "The nomination was filed today as it was an auspicious day. Another set of nomination will be filed officially on Monday along with the party’s ‘B’ form,” she said.

“More number of youth should enter politics as they have their own perspective on global issues. The work done by Shamanur Shivashankarappa will stand us in good stead. The Davanagere South Assembly constituency is a Congress stronghold. The Congress has won consistently in the last four elections. Even before the delimitation of constituencies, the Congress had won the Davanagere seat many times. The Congress will not allow the BJP to breach its stronghold,” she said.

“State Congress leaders are holding a meeting in Bengaluru regarding the elections. Minister S S Mallikarjun (her husband) is in Bengaluru. I have seen the party survey report regarding the Davanagere South constituency. My son Samarth will definitely get the ticket,” she said.

The byelection has been necessitated following the death of veteran Lingayat leader Shivashankarappa.

Muslims form the largest group of electorate in the constituency followed by Lingayats.

Congress leader Abdul Jabbar is another aspirant for the party ticket.
The BJP has named Srinivas T Dasakariyappa as its candidates.