TUMAKURU: Even as BJP announced its first list of 189 candidates, an accused in the multi-crore I Monetary Advisory (IMA) Ponzi scam and former KAS officer LC Nagaraj made the cut. The BJP government not only allegedly cleared his resignation, pending inquiry, but the ruling party has also declared him as the candidate from Madhugiri.
It was in July 2019 that Nagaraj, then Bengaluru North assistant commissioner, was arrested for issuing a no objection certificate to I Monetary Advisory founder Mohammed Mansoor Khan. His candidature was allegedly backed by a BJP minister in the Basavaraj Bommai cabinet.
Interestingly, KN Rajanna, father-in-law of IPS officer S Girish who arrested Nagaraj, is the Congress candidate. Both Nagaraj and Rajanna are from the ST Nayaka community and are contesting from a general seat. JDS has fielded incumbent MLA MV Veerabhadraiah, a Kunchatiga Vokkaliga.
Former IAS officer BH
Anil Kumar is the BJP candidate for Koratagere (SC seat) and he will take on Congress senior leader Dr G
Parameshwara. JDS has fielded former MLA P Sudhakar Lal, who defeated Parameshwara in the 2013 Assembly polls when the latter was a prominent aspirant for the chief minister’s post then.