After hours of speculation, the Indian National Congress on Sunday evening released its first list of candidates for 218 out of total 224 seats for the all important Karnataka Assembly polls.
CM Siddaramaiah who was expected to contest from two seats will be contesting only from the Chamundeshwari seat as he had earlier announced.
Putting end to speculations that Siddaramaiah will also contest from Badami too, Devraj Patil has been given the seat.
His son Yathindra who is entering politics officially with this election will contest from the constituency of Varuna. He is most likely to be facing BS Yeddyurappa's son BY Vijayendra this election.
Interestingly, one of the notable omissions in the list is the candidate for Shantinagar constituency that is currently held by NA Haris, whose son is in jail as an undertrial in connection with an assault case. Sources within the party had earlier indicated that Haris was still favoured by the many internal surveys.
Other than Shantinagar, candidates for Nagthan, Melukote, Kittur, Raichur and Sindgi are yet to be declared.
In Melukote, Congress is likely to back Swaraj India candidate Darshan Puttanaiah as TNM had reported earlier.
KPCC president G Parameshwara has retained his nomination from his home constituency of Koratagere despite losing the 2013 battle.
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Announcement of candidates for the upcoming Assembly Elections in Karnataka. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/q5M2ss7Z48
Former Bengaluru mayor Padmavati will be contesting assembly polls as a candidate from Rajaji Nagar in Bengaluru, while current Mayor Sampath Raj got ticket from CV Raman Nagar.
Controversial businessman Ashok Kheny who had joined the Congress recently will contest from the Bidar South constituency.
Not surprisingly, newly inducted former BJP minister Anand Singh also made to the list and will be the candidate from Vijayanagar. Cine star Ambarish from Mandya has also secured his nomination despite multiple reports citing him as unfit to contest elections.
Other expected names include four-time MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao, Energy Minister DK Shivakumar, Home Minister and party heavyweight Ramalinga Reddy, PWD Minister HC Mahadevappa, Pramod Madhwaraj in their preferred seats. Ramalinga Reddy's daughter and Youth Congress leader Sowmya Reddy also made the cut in Jayanagar.
The list as earlier speculated features names of several people who are supporters of CM Siddaramaiah.
The Congress list does not have too many surprises, but the Shantinagar seat remains a suspense.
Earlier both the BJP and JD(S) had released their first list of candidates.