Migrants, former don, actor in JD(S) second list

After much dillydallying, the JD(S) on Friday announced its second list of 56 candidates for the Assembly polls.

The party has announced candidatures of senior leader P G R Sindhia (Basavakalyan), former BJP MLAs Prakash Khandre (Bhalki) and Dr D Hemachandra Sagar (Chickpet) and actor-politician Shashi Kumar (Hosadurga).

The party has also fielded Ravi Patil, brother-in-law of Congress MLA Sathish Jarkiholi, from Raichur Rural. JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy, will be contesting from both Ramanagar and Channapatna.

The party had announced its first list of 126 candidates on February 17. As it has given 20 seats to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), it is yet to announce candidates for 22 more seats.

Speaking to DH, Kumaraswamy said that the party would finalise candidates for the remaining constituencies in the next couple of days.

Interestingly, the party has not given the ticket to G H Srinivas, who quit the Congress just two days ago, to join the JD(S). Srinivas, was denied ticket by the Congress to contest from Tarikere, though he was a sitting MLA. The JD(S) has given the ticket to T H Shivashankarappa instead.

Shivashankarappa, who also belongs to the same
community, is, however, unwilling to back out of the race. Kumaraswamy said that he would hold a meeting with both Srinivas and Shivashankarappa on Saturday and “settle” the matter.

Bengaluru nominees

The party, which does not have a big presence in Bengaluru, has announced tickets for 19 of the 28 Assembly segments. While former Congressman Altaf Khan has been fielded from Chamarajpet, former BJP corporator G H Srinivas will be contesting from Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

The party has also fielded former underworld don Jedarahalli Krishnappa from Rajajinagar.

Late on Friday, the JD(S) announced former Congress MLA Prasanna Kumar as its candidate from Pulakeshi agar.