JDS releases 2nd list of candidates, Kumaraswamy to contest

After a long wait, Janata Dal" (Secular) today announced its second list of 56 candidates for the May 12 assembly election in Karnataka, fielding its state unit chief H D Kumaraswamy in a second constituency.

Kumaraswamy, a former Chief Minister, will also be contesting from Channapatna constituency, apart from Ramanagara, which was announced in the first list.

In the second list, the party has accommodated several aspirants from BJP and Congress, who knocked at its doors after they were denied tickets.

Among party hoppers who have got tickets include Prakesh Kandre from Bhalki, actor turned politician Shashi Kumar from Hosadurga, Hemachandra Sagar from Chickpet, P Ramesh from C V Raman Nagar, Mangaladevi Biradar from Muddebihal, and Ramachandra from Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

JDS was the first to announce a list of 126 candidates"in February itself, much before the poll dates were announced.

The move was seen as an attempt to keep the options"open for disgruntled aspirants from Congress or BJP, willing"to switch over and field them where the JDS is weak.

JDS had followed a similar strategy in earlier elections also.

The party, led by former Prime Minister H D Deve"Gowda, is in alliance with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party, which, it hopes, would help garner the votes of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the May 12 assembly polls.

Asaduddin Owaisi led AIMIM has announced its decision"to back the JDS.