Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, submitted his nomination papers on Wednesday, April 19, for the Assembly polls with great fanfare. He was accompanied by JP Nadda, the national president of the BJP, and Kannada film star Kiccha Sudeep. Bommai filed his nomination from Shiggaon in Haveri district, which he has represented since 2008.
Earlier in the day, the leaders along with actor Sudeep took part in a massive roadshow in Shiggaon and hundreds of people gathered to watch. Sudeep had previously pledged his support for Bommai in April. Nadda held a breakfast meeting with senior party leaders at MLA Aravind Bellad's residence in Hubballi, before heading to Shiggaon.
Several candidates submitted their nomination papers on April 19, as the Amavasya (new moon) falls on April 20 – the last day for filing nomination papers – and is considered inauspicious day by many people. So far, 2,878 candidates have filed their nomination papers.
In support of his son BY Vijayendra, who submitted his nomination papers on Monday, former BJP leader BS Yediyurappa held a roadshow in Shikaripura in Shimoga district. Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah was also among the candidates who filed their nominations on Wednesday, from the Varuna constituency in Mysuru. Speaking at a rally, he said he would be retiring from electoral politics after this election. "After this Assembly election, I will quit electoral politics. The people of Varuna have always been with me and because of their support, I have reached places in my political career. This will be my last time filing papers from the Varuna constituency,” he said.
Meanwhile, MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy resigned from the Congress party and filed his nomination as an independent candidate from Bengaluru’s Pulakeshinagar on Tuesday.
In another development, Congress leader Raghunath Naidu filed his nomination papers from the Padmanabhanagara constituency in Bengaluru, ending speculations about DK Suresh's candidacy from the same constituency. The Congress had announced Naidu as their Padmabhanagar candidate, but he had not been given a B form.