Karnataka polls: CM Siddaramaiah, JD(S) chief Kumaraswamy file nominations

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy today filed their nominations for the May 12 state assembly polls.

The chief minister's son Yatindra, set to make his electoral debut from Varuna, represented by his father since 2008; and sitting JD(S) MLA G T Deve Gowda, who will take on Siddaramaiah in Chamundeshwari, are the others who filed their papers.

Siddaramaiah filed his nomination even as speculation is rife about him choosing Badami at Bagalkote in north Karnataka as a second constituency, considered 'safer' than Chamundeshwari.

He along with his son visited the Siddarameshwara temple at his native village of Siddaramanahundi, and the famous Chamundeshwari temple on Chamundi hill in Mysuru.

Siddaramaiah has won five times and tasted defeat twice in Chamundeshwari, from where he has been announced as the candidate by the Congress high command.

He has been representing Varuna constituency in Mysuru since 2008, which has now been allotted to his son Yatindra.

Retaining Karnataka is very crucial for the Congress as it is the second major state after Punjab, where it is in power.

Though, Congress has not announced its chief ministerial candidate, the party has said Siddaramaiah will be the party's face during the polls.

Kumaraswamy, a former chief minister, filed his nominations from two constituencies Ramanagara and Channapatna accompanied by his wife Anitha and supporters.

Presently representing Ramanagara, Kumaraswamy is looking for retaining the constituency.

His wife had lost in Channapatna in 2013.

JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda's older son and Kumaraswamy's brother H D Revanna too filed his nomination from Holenarsipura in Hassan district, considered as party bastion.

Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy from Bengaluru's BTM layout and senior BJP leader Suresh Kumar from Rajaji Nagar also filed their nominations.