Karnataka bypolls: 37 candidates file nominations for two seats

A total of 37 candidates have filed 57 nominations on Friday, the last day to do so, for Sindagi and Hangal assembly constituencies that will go for by-elections on October 30, poll officials said.

While 8 candidates from Sindagi have filed 12 nominations, 45 nominations have been received from 29 candidates in Hangal. Out of total 37, two candidates each from Sindagi and Hangal are women. While scrutiny of nominations will take place on October 11, the last day for withdrawal of papers is on October 13.

Counting of votes will take place on November 2. The by-elections have been necessitated as the seats fell vacant following the death of Sindgi JD(S) legislator M C Managuli and BJP's C M Udasi from Hangal. While Ramesh Bhusanur, who came second behind Managuli in 2018 polls, is the BJP candidate from Sindagi, Shivaraj Sajjanar is its candidate from Hangal constituency.

Congress has named Managuli's son Ashok Managuli, who has joined the party, as its candidate from Sindgi, while former MLC Srinivas Mane is its candidate from Hangal. JD(S), which was the first to announce its candidates, has fielded 33-year-old post graduate Naziya Shakeel Ahmed Angadi from Sindagi and 35-year-old B.E, M.Tech (CSE) graduate Niyaz Shaikh from Hangal.

Congress leaders including Siddaramaiah have alleged that JD(S) deliberately fielded minority candidates for the Hangal and Sindagi by-elections to help the BJP, resulting in war of words between both parties. This is the first electoral challenge for Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai after taking charge. Winning Hangal is even more important for him as it is the neighbouring constituency to his Shiggaon assembly segment.

On the last day of filing nominations, all the three political parties claimed they will win with a huge margin. State Congress Chief D K Shivakumar, speaking to reporters in Sindagi, expressed confidence that the party will win with a margin of minimum 25,000 votes.

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, defending his party's decision to field Muslim candidates from both seats said the candidates are educated, and accused the Congress of playing "low level politics" by alleging that the regional party was trying to help BJP by fielding minority community candidates.

BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel claimed his party will win with a huge margin in both Sindagi and Hangal, and teams have been formed to ensure its victory. "All the leaders are together fighting this election unitedly," he said in Hangal.

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