Siddaramaiah, JD-S chief, others file nominations for Karnataka polls

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) state President H.D. Kumaraswamy were among those who filed their nominations on Friday for the May 12 Assembly elections, taking the total nominations so far to 708.

Siddaramaiah filed his nomination from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru district. Former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy filed his papers from both Channapatna and Ramanagara segments in Ramanagara district, about 50km southwest from here.

Siddaramaiah, along with his son Yathindra, visited Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi Hills in Mysuru before filing his nomination.

The 69-year-old veteran leader has contested the Chamundeshwari seat seven times since 1983 and won five times. He later shifted to Varuna in Mysuru district, from where he was elected twice in 2008 and 2013.

Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra also filed his nomination from Varuna in his first state election.

In his poll affidavit, Siddaramaiah declared total assets valued at over Rs 20.3 crore, including that of his wife Parvathi, and assets inherited through his Hindu Undivided Family. He declared cash, bank deposits and other savings totalling Rs 3.90 crore, immovable assets, including land and buildings valued at over Rs 7.30 crore.

Parvathi, a housewife, has cash and bank deposits worth over Rs 40 lakh and property valued at over Rs 7.20 crore.

Siddaramaiah is the second lawmaker in the southern state to complete his five-year term as Chief Minister after Devaraj Urs did so from 1972-78.

He had switched over to the Congress from the JD-S in August 2006 following differences with its supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his second son Kumaraswamy.

In his poll affidavit, Kumaraswamy, the state Chief Minister between 2006-07, declared assets valued at over Rs 167.12 crore, including those of his wife Anitha.

He declared cash and bank deposits of over Rs 7.80 crore and immovable assets valued at over Rs 35 crore. The JD-S leader's wife's declared assets including cash, gold and bank deposits valued at over Rs 94 crore, and immovable assets worth Rs 30 crore.

Others who filed nominations on Friday included Bharatiya Janata Party leader S. Suresh Kumar from Rajajinagar in west Bengaluru, Congress leader and Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy from B.T.M. Layout in southern Bengaluru and JD-S legislator G.T. Deve Gowda from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru.

Governor Vajubhai R. Vala on Tuesday notified the elections on May 12 across 224 Assembly constituencies from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and counting of votes on May 15. A total of 36 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 15 for Scheduled Tribes.

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

--IANS

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