Another Reddy brother in BJP's third list for Karnataka polls

The BJP on Friday released third list of 59 candidates for the May 12 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, including Karunakar Reddy, one of the Reddy brothers from Harapanahalli in Ballari district.

With this, the BJP has announced 213 candidates. The party had, in its second list of 82 candidates released on April 16, fielded G. Somashekar Reddy, younger brother of Ballari mining baron G. Janardhan Reddy from Ballari City segment.

Karunakar Reddy was the state's Revenue Minister in the first BJP government in the southern state from 2008-2013.

The party on April 8 released its first list of 72 candidates, including three women.

Though there were no women candidates in the second list, two women are in the third list, namely Susheela Devraj from Pulukeshi Nagar (SC) segment in Bengaluru and Shwetha Gopal from Krishnarajanagara or K.R. Nagara segment in Mysuru district.

The party changed its candidate in Kolar Gold Fields segment (reserved for Scheduled Castes) in Kolar district, giving the ticket to a woman -- S. Ashiwini -- in place of Y. Sampangi, who figured in the first list.

Of the 213 candidates, six are women so far as against 8 in the 2013 assembly polls, though only one -- Shashikala Jolle - won from Nippani. She has been re-nominated from the same seat in this election.

Besides the Reddy brothers, the party has fielded Arun Somanna, son of senior party leader V. Somanna, from Arsikere constituency in Hassan district and Gopal Karjol, son of party's state unit Vice-President Govind Karjol, from Nagthan constituency in Vijayapura district.

Among the prominent candidates in the third list are former Assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah from Virajpet in Kodagu district former BJP minister S.A. Ramdas from Krishnaraja and Gopal Rao from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru district.

Rao is pitted against state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and sitting Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) legislator G.T. Deve Gowda from the constituency in a triangular contest.

April 24 is the last date for filing nominations. Scrutiny is on April 25 and last date for withdrawal of candidatures is April 27.

State Governor Vajubhai R Vala on Tuesday notified the elections in a single phase on May 12 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Votes will be counted on May 15.

--IANS

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