Third Phase Polling for 280 out of 543 Seats To Be Completed 17.24 Cr Voters To Pick 93 LS MPs Today

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah will lead the voting for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections for 93 seats in 11 states and Union territories on Tuesday. Shah, civil aviation minister Jyotiradtiya Scindia, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijay Singh are among the prominent candidates whose fate will be sealed by over 17.24 crore voters. After Tuesday, polling for 280 out of the 543 seats would be completed, which is past the half way mark. The third phase will be handled by 18.5 lakh polling officials in across 1.85 lakh polling stations. Gujarat, Goa, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu will complete polling in a single phase on Tuesday. Among the other constituencies voting in the third phase are four in Assam, five in Bihar, seven in Chhattisgarh, eight in Madhya Pradesh, 11 in Maharashtra, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, 14 in Karnataka and four in West Bengal. Some other prominent names in the fray include Samajwadi Partys Dimple Yadav, and NCP-Sharad Pawar group leader Supriya Sule who is locked in a family contest with her relative Sunetra Pawar. In Maharashtra 258 candidates are in fray in the third phase though all eyes are on Baramati seat where in a family contest Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule is pitted against Sunetra Pawar, wife of the veteran leader's estranged nephew and Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. The third phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal will see four Muslim-majority constituencies going to the polls. It will also witness I.N.D.I.A. bloc partners at the national level the TMC and the Left-Congress combine fighting separately. Amid heightened security with the deployment of 202 companies of Central forces and more than 60,000 personnel of police force and District Reserve Guard, the remaining seven Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh will vote in the third phase with 168 candidates in the fray. The main contest lies between the BJP, which had won 10 out of 11 seats in the state in the 2004, 2009 and 2014 general elections. In 2019, the BJP bagged nine constituencies and Congress 2. In Karnataka, voting will take place for the 14 remaining seats. Here it is going to be a straight fight between the Congress and BJP in Parliamentary segments in the northern districts. The JD (S) is not contesting in these seats and is supporting the BJP. The main contestants are former chief ministers Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Balgaum), Union ministers Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and Bhagwanth Khuba (Bidar) and Karnataka BJP chief B.S. Raghavendra (all BJP); Congress' Geetha Shivrajkumar (Shimoga), wife of actor Shivrajkumar and daughter of former CM S. Bangarappa, and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani (Gulbarga). Ten parliamentary constituencies of Uttar Pradesh will go to polls with all eyes on Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's family members. Akshaya Yadav, son of Ram Gopal Yadav, the national principal general secretary of SP, will try to reclaim the Firozabad seat, which he had won in 2014.

Shimoga Constituency of Karnataka Lok Sabha Election 2024: Date of voting, result, candidates list, main parties, schedule

Karnataka Lok Sabha Elections: BJP, Congress Again Set for Battle in 14 Seats; Check Key Candidates

The segments where elections will be held on Tuesday are: Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga

Karnataka's 14 Lok Sabha Seats Witness Intense Battle Between BJP and Congress

Karnataka's 14 Lok Sabha Seats Witness Intense Battle Between BJP and Congress The Congress and BJP will lock horns on the electoral battleground again in less than a fortnight in Karnataka, as the stage is set for the second phase of elections in the 14 remaining Lok Sabha seats on Tuesday. It is going to be a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Parliamentary segments in the northern districts. The JD(S) is not contesting in these seats and is supporting its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner -- the BJP. The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The first phase of polling in 14 seats in most of the southern and coastal districts was held on April 26. A total of 227 candidates -- 206 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the second phase. More than 2.59 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 28,269 polling stations where voting will take place between 7 am to 6 pm. The segments where elections will be held on Tuesday are: Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had swept all these 14 seats, defeating Congress and JD(S), which were in alliance and ruling the state then. Having scored a thumping victory in the Assembly elections last year, the Congress now appears determined to put up a strong show. Karnataka is the most important state for the BJP in south India as it's only here that it has held power in the past. Speaking to PTI, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said adequate security arrangements have been made for Tuesday's polling. ''Around 1.45 lakh polling officials have been deployed across the 14 constituencies. In addition, 35,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Paramilitary forces and armed police of other states will be deployed for the polling day,'' he said. Besides this, 4,000 micro-observers will also be on duty and 17,000 polling stations will be covered by webcasting, he added. Davangere has the maximum number of 30 candidates, followed by 23 in Shimoga and Raichur has the least number - eight. Former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Balgaum), Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and Bhagwanth Khuba (Bidar) -- all from BJP; Congress' Geetha Shivrajkumar (Shimoga) -- wife of actor Shivrajkumar and daughter of former CM S Bangarappa and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani (Gulbarga), are among the prominent names in the fray. Also in the contest are MP and veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra, suspended party leader and former Deputy CM K S Eshwarappa -- both from Shimoga, former Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and ex-Minister B Sreeramulu of BJP from Uttara Kannada and Bellary respectively and retired IAS officer G Kumar Naik of Congress from Raichur. Stakes are high for several Ministers in this phase with their children in fray. Sons of Ministers Laxmi Hebbalkar and Eshwar Khandre - Mrinal Ravindra Hebbalkar and Sagar Khandre - are contesting from Belgaum and Bidar respectively, while daughters of Ministers Satish Jarkiholi and Shivanand Patil -Priyanka Jarkiholi and Samyukta Patil- are in contention in Chikkodi and Bagalkot respectively. Prabha Mallikarjun, wife of Minister S S Mallikarjun and daughter-in-law of veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, is in the fray from Davangere. The Congress' performance in the elections, especially in the second phase which covers almost all Lingayat-dominated districts, is crucial, as the party did not win one of them in 2019, and to also check whether the grand old party has managed to retain the support of a section of Lingayats -- considered as the BJP's core vote-base -- which seemed to have somewhat shifted towards it in the 2023 Assembly polls. The Lok Sabha election is being seen as a big test of sorts for Congress state unit chief D K Shivakumar, who has made no secret of his ambition to become chief minister, amid speculations of change in guard mid-way of the Assembly term. The stakes are also high for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, as victory in this election is seen as key to strengthening his hands, analysts say. It is also seen as a kind of a ''litmus test'' for state BJP president B Y Vijayendra, who has the onerous task of helping the party retain its supremacy in the Lok Sabha polls, by regaining its traditional Lingayat vote-base. Ensuring a BJP sweep is paramount for the son of veteran leader B S Yediyurappa, to consolidate his position and silence critics who have questioned his selection to the post, overlooking seniors and seasoned hands. The ruling Congress is mostly banking on the implementation of its populist five guarantee schemes while the BJP seems to be leveraging the ''Modi factor'' to the hilt.

Karnataka: 2.59 cr voters will decide fate of 227 netas tomorrow

BENGALURU: A total of 2,59,52,958 voters will on Tuesday decide the fate of 227 candidates in Phase-3 of Lok Sabha elections in 14 parliamentary constituencies of Kitur and Kalyana-Karnataka and Malnad regions of the state. Elections for the Shorapur Assembly constituency too will be held on May 7. Of the six candidates contesting, one each is from BJP and Congress, while four are independents. Polling will be from 7 am till 6 pm. The biggest challenge for Election Commission officials and voters is combating the heatwave. While some political representatives have requested the Election Commission to extend voting beyond 6 pm, officials said no decision has been taken yet. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a severe heatwave alert for North Karnataka regions where the temperatures could go up to 45-46 degrees Celsius on the day of the polls. Officials in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, said regular bulletins from IMD are being obtained and accordingly, all precautionary measures have been taken. Arrangements for sufficient water, fans and shade have been made. Additional CEO Venkatesh Kumar R told The New Indian Express that each polling booth has been mapped to primary health centres, referral hospitals and district hospitals. The district administration has ensured all health centres have sufficient ambulances and medical staff on standby. Also, each polling booth will have an ASHA worker or Auxiliary Nurse Midwife worker, a medical kit with ORS and other supplies. Election officials have also allowed parties to keep ORS and other medical facilities at their counters. But they have been directed not to influence or bribe voters with it. To ensure fair elections and secrecy while voting, the CEOs office has directed that no mobile phones will be allowed while casting votes. Returning officers have ensured that a separate tray or counter will be available for voters to keep their phones before voting. No smart watches are also allowed inside the voting area. Of the 14 constituencies, Bijapur and Gulbarga are Schedule Caste reserved, Raichur and Bellary are Schedule Tribe reserved and the remaining -- Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bidar, Koppal, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere and Shimoga -- are general category. The largest number of voters in this phase is in Gulbarga constituency at 20,98,202 and the lowest is in Uttara Kannada at 16,41,156. There are 6,90,929 young voters, 2,29,263 are aged above 85 and 3,43,966 are listed as People with Disabilities. Of the 227 candidates, 206 are men and 21 women. BJP and Congress have 14 candidates each, Bahujan Samaj Party nine and 117 are independents. The highest number of candidates (30) is from Davangere, followed by Shimoga (23) and Bagalkot (22). Eight candidates each are contesting from Bijapur and Raichur. To increase the voter turnout and help people find their booth, election officials have printed a QR code behind each voting slip, which when scanned will direct the voter to her/his booth using GPS technology. The CEOs office has also launched the Chunavane app, which can be downloaded from Playstore. It gives the live status of the polling booth -- number of people in queue, parking facility and other details. Special theme-based booths - like Sakhi, youth and PwD -- have been set up. Signages have been put in all booths for voters to easily identify their voting rooms. In Phase-2, two parliamentary constituencies of Bangalore Rural and Mysore-Kodagu had 100 per cent webcasting. But in Phase-3, no such special arrangement has been made. Webcasting, however, is being done in 60% of the booths. Over 1.90 lakh polling officials will be deployed on election duty at 28,269 polling booths. Also 65 companies and 50,000 police personnel have been deployed. Election officials have also asked voters to use the Saksham app, in case voters need special facilities like wheelchairs, assistance and others. Senior citizens or specially abled too can opt for pick up and drop facility. Officials said ramps, wheelchairs, Braille, assistance for hearing impaired, sufficient lighting, sign language experts, assistants for specially abled, washrooms, water facility, seating arrangement and other essentials have been arranged at each booth. Unlike in Phase-2, the fight between the two major parties -- BJP and Congress -- will be close and tough in this phase.

In Kharges turf, Santhoshs prestige at stake

BENGALURU: As the campaign trail falls silent in the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of North Karnataka that are going to the polls on Tuesday, BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh will be keeping his fingers crossed that his efforts does not go in vain as his prestige is at stake. This is especially so in the five LS seats of Kalyan Karnataka, including Kalaburagi, home turf of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge where he has focussed and campaigned subtly. According to sources, after receiving a report that certain BJP leaders are providing tacit support to the Congress, Santhosh rushed to the region to keep the party flock together. Santhosh has held booth committee workers meetings in Kalaburagi, Bidar and Koppal LS constituencies, where party candidates Dr Umesh Jadhav, Bhagawant Khuba and newbie Basavaraj Kyavatoor are facing a tough fight from Congress candidates Kharges son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani, Sagar Khandre and Rajashekar Hitnal, respectively. He also held similar meetings in Raichur where BJPs Raja Amareshwar Naik is taking on the former bureaucrat Kumar Naik, a newbie, and in Ballari where former minister B Sriramulu has locked horns with Sanduru Congress MLA E Tukaram. The BJP went all out by not depending upon former CM B S Yediyurappa and the Modi wave. It made use of Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi leader Mandakrishna Madiga to fetch a section of Madiga (SC left) community votes because Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised him to classify the SC quota during the Telangana assembly polls. Former minister and Gangavathi MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy and JDS state president H D Kumaraswamy also chipped in. Interestingly, Yediyurappa did not campaign in the Kalyan Karnataka region, except for attending Modis rally and a meeting in Raichur, as aggressively as in Old Mysuru and Shimoga LS constituency.

Karnataka: Children of ex-CMs vs Veteran set a three-way battle in Shimoga

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Campaigning for second phase of 14 LS seats ends in Karnataka as 'sex scandal' dominates narrative

Campaigning for second phase of 14 LS seats ends in Karnataka as 'sex scandal' dominates narrative The campaigning for the second phase of polling in 14 Lok Sabha segments in Congress-ruled Karnataka ended on Sunday, with the ''Hassan sex scandal'' wading into the narrative in no small measure. Tuesday's elections (May 7) matter the most for the BJP as it had bagged all those 14 seats in the 2019 polls. Karnataka has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The first phase of elections for 14 segments was held on April 26. Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have targeted the BJP over the alleged sex scandal involving Hassan JD(S) MP, Prajwal Revanna, in campaign rallies. Rahul Gandhi alleged that Prajwal Revanna had raped 400 women, and lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for seeking votes for a ''mass rapist'' and sought his apology. Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda, is facing allegations of sexually abusing women. The state government has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the charges. Prajwal Revanna was the JD(S)-BJP alliance candidate from Hassan seat which went to polls on April 26. The JD(S) joined the BJP-led NDA in September last year. The BJP, on the other hand, has attacked the government for alleged failure to ''contain anti-national activities'', and incidents of 'Love Jihad' and 'appeasement politics'. The party leaders repeatedly referred to the bomb blast at a cafe here on March 1, the murder of 23-year-old Neha Hiremath on a college campus in Hubballi by Fayaz Khondunaik on April 18 and the raising of pro-Pakistan slogans in the corridors of Vidhana Soudha on February 27. Speaking to reporters in the district headquarters town of Belagavi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said, ''In the first phase, we will win about eight to nine seats. In the second phase, we will win in 10 constituencies.'' The Congress is also banking heavily on the state government's guarantee schemes and remains optimistic that they will pay the party electoral dividends. Among the candidates in the fray for the May 7 polls is Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who is seeking a fifth straight term from Dharwad. There will be a by-poll to the Shorapur assembly constituency in Yadgir district on May 7 following the death of Congress MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik in February this year. The 14 segments going to polls on Tuesday are: Belgaum (Belagavi), Uttara Kannada, Chikkodi, Bagalkot (Bagalkote), Bidar, Haveri, Dharwad, Koppal, Bellari (Ballari), Raichur, Bijapur (Vijayapura), Davangere and Shimoga (Shivamogga) and Gulbarga (Kalaburagi). According to the Election Commission, 227 candidates are in the fray. The BJP and the Congress have fielded 14 candidates each while the Bahujan Samaj Party is trying its luck in nine seats. There are 117 independents. Also, 73 people are fighting the election from registered unrecognised parties. The 14 constituencies have 2.59 crore voters, the EC said, adding, there are a total of 28,257 main polling stations. Among the BJP contestants are: former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and Jagadish Shettar (Belgaum), former Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri (Uttara Kannada) and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra (Shimoga). Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani is contesting from Gulbarga. The Congress has fielded Minister Eshwar Khandre's son Sagar Khandre (Bidar), Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar's son Mrinal Hebbalkar (Belgaum), Minister Satish Jarkiholi's daughter Priyanka Jarkiholi (Chikkodi), Minister Shivanand Patil's daughter Samyukta Patil (Bagalkot) and Geetha Shivarajkumar, who is wife of Kannada film actor Shivarajkumar and daughter of former Chief Minister late S Bangarappa (Shimoga). As Congress has fielded Karnataka Minister for Mines and Geology S S Mallikarjun's wife Prabha Mallikarjun from Davangere, the BJP gave ticket to Gayathri Siddeshwara, who is wife of MP G M Siddeshwara. The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements to increase voter turnout amid the soaring temperatures in the 14 constituencies. From arranging shamianas and tents, additional fans and drinking water facilities, to keeping ambulances on standby and using adjacent rooms of the polling booth as waiting areas, the Election Commission is making efforts to ensure that the polling percentage is not affected due to the ''harsh summer''. In this first phase, Karnataka recorded 69.56 per cent voter turnout. Speaking to PTI, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said the constituencies where polling will take place on May 7 are in North Karnataka region and the temperature is slightly high there, ''so we have made all necessary arrangements to ensure that people aren't deterred from coming out of their homes to vote.''

Tents, Fans, and Ambulances Deployed at Karnataka Polling Stations to Aid Voters Amidst Heat on May 7

Tents, Fans, and Ambulances Deployed at Karnataka Polling Stations to Aid Voters Amidst Heat on May 7 With just two days left for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, the Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements to increase voter turnout amid the soaring temperatures in the 14 constituencies that go to the polls on May 7. The first phase of the general elections in 14 of Karnataka's 28 Lok Sabha constituencies was held on April 26, and the second, for the rest of the 14 segments, is on May 7. From arranging shamianas and tents, additional fans and drinking water facilities, to keeping ambulances on standby and using adjacent rooms of the polling booth as waiting areas, the Election Commission is making efforts to ensure that the polling percentage is not affected due to the ''harsh summer''. There are 28,269 polling stations in these 14 constituencies -- Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga --which are going to the polls on May 7. In this first phase, Karnataka recorded 69.56 per cent voter turnout. Speaking to PTI, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said the constituencies where polling will take place on May 7 are in North Karnataka region and the temperature is slightly high there, ''so we have made all necessary arrangements to ensure that people aren't deterred from coming out of their homes to vote.'' He further said, ''It is a harsh summer, so we are making special arrangements to mitigate this temperature, (and the possibility of) stroke, dehydration... So, we are making special arrangements for shades, drinking water, fans wherever required at the polling stations.'' The poll body has also roped in ASHA workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) workers to handle any medical emergency that may arise at the polling stations. ''We also have local-level health workers including ASHA workers and ANMs from primary health centres, so they will have basic medical kits to ensure that first aid is given to voters and polling officials in case of any medical emergency,'' he said. Ambulances have also been kept ready in a cluster of polling stations so that patients requiring more than first aid can be quickly taken to hospital, he added. The priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of poll officials and voters, especially senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Adequate number of tents and umbrellas for shade, and chairs to seat the officials and voters have been provided at the polling stations to ensure that they are not exposed to direct sunlight. ''All arrangements are being done to ensure that people have a pleasant experience and that the harsh summer will not deter them from coming to vote. We will do our best to see that people will not face any problem,'' the CEO said. There are a total of 2,59,52,958 electors in these 14 constituencies, out of which 1,29,83,406 are male, 1,29,67,607 are female and 1,945 are others.

Children of ex-CMs & firebrand expelled BJP leader spice up poll scene in Karnataka's Shimoga

Known as the heartland of socialist movement in Karnataka, Shivamogga is a part of the 'Malnad' region. The BJP has renominated MP and Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra. The Congress has named Bangarappa's daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar, who is the wife of Karnataka film star Shivarajkumar and daughter-in-law of Kannada thespian late Rajkumar.

Political heavyweights' offspring, firebrand expelled BJP leader make Karnataka's Shimoga LS poll scene more vibrant

Political heavyweights' offspring, firebrand expelled BJP leader make Karnataka's Shimoga LS poll scene more vibrant The contest between children of two former Chief Ministers and the presence of an expelled BJP leader in the fray has spiced up the poll scene in Karnataka's Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency. It is for the fifth consecutive time since 2009, including a bypoll in 2018, the segment is witnessing a straight fight between the families two popular leaders and former Chief Ministers late S Bangarappa and B S Yediyurappa. Known as the heartland of socialist movement in Karnataka, Shivamogga is a part of the 'Malnad' region. The BJP has renominated MP and Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra. The Congress has named Bangarappa's daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar, who is the wife of Karnataka film star Shivarajkumar and daughter-in-law of Kannada thespian late Rajkumar. Raghavendra has been elected to Parliament from this ''Gateway to Malnad'' three times. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and in the 2018 by-election, he defeated Geetha's brother Madhu Bangarappa, who is now a Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. Madhu was then with JD(S). Raghavendra defeated Madhu by over 2.23 lakh votes in 2019. Raghavendra had in his first Lok Sabha election in 2009 defeated S Bangarappa. Geetha had contested from the seat on the JD(S) ticket in 2014 and lost to Yediyurappa by a huge margin. She had come third in that election behind Congress candidate Manjunath Bhandary. While the stage was almost set for a contest between Raghavendra and Geetha Shivrajkumar this time, BJP veteran K S Eshwarappa rebelled against the party over the denial of ticket to his son K E Kantesh from neighbouring Haveri. The former Deputy Chief Minister, who had also served as the party's state unit President, has entered the fray as an independent blaming Raghavendra's brother and state BJP President B Y Vijayendra and Yediyurappa for his son being overlooked. The 75-year-old Eshwarappa has been campaigning vigorously claiming that his fight is not against the BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but to ''purify'' the party in the state by setting it free from the clutches of Yediyurappa and sons. He accused them of trying to establish dynasty rule in the party, by sidelining several Hindutva leaders. Eshwarappa was expelled by the party for six years after he refused to bow out of the poll race. There are some apprehensions about Eshwarappa eating into BJP's votes, but party leaders and functionaries insist that it may only have ''marginal impact'' on the three-time MP's prospects, as the latter has established himself politically in the region, and has party's solid organisational strength behind him. Along with his work as an MP, Raghavendra is banking on the ''Modi factor'', Yediyurappa's strong leadership, and alliance partner JD(S)' votes getting transferred in his favour. ''With the support I'm getting, I'm confident of winning with an even bigger margin than last time. I have never thought about who the opponent is and have always concentrated on my work and achievements and that of our government,'' the 50-year-old Raghavendra said. On the other hand, through his sister Geetha Shivrajkumar's win, Madhu Bangarappa is hoping to avenge successive defeats his family faced in Lok Sabha polls, including that of his father 15 years ago. Geetha is relying on her late father Bangarappa's legacy, brother Madhu's political clout in the region being district in-charge Minister, husband Shivrajkumar's star image and popularity with some film stars too campaigning for her, and also Congress' organisational strength and its populist guarantee schemes. Congress is also hoping for the numerically strong Ediga community, of which late Bangarappa was the tallest leader, backing Geetha, along with other OBCs. ''From day one everything has been positive and I'm getting good response even in the remote areas, and I'm confident it will convert into votes as people are wanting change this time,'' Geetha said. While Congress eyes electoral dividends over Eshwarappa's rebellion, the BJP -- with Geetha's other brother and former Minister Kumar Bangarappa on its side - is hoping to bag a significant chunk of Ediga votes. Shimoga Lok Sabha segment has eight Assembly constituencies, out of which four are represented by BJP, Congress in three and JD(S) one. ''Geetha Shivarjkumar comes during elections and goes back, she will not remain here, she comes temporarily only during elections, but Raghanna (Raghavendra) is not like that he is from here and he is always here. Also, he has Modi and Yediyurappa's blessings, he will win,'' said a voter in Tirthahalli. ''Congress' guarantees schemes are definitely helping people, especially the poor, so it will have an impact in the polls, and Geetha Shivarajkumar will win. We want a woman to win. She is also the daughter of Bangarappa,'' a woman student in Shivamogga said.

Silent period for Phase-3 poll sets in from May 5

BENGALURU: All sorts of loud political campaigning using loudspeakers, microphones, banners and mega rallies will end at 6 pm on Sunday (May 5). After which political parties and candidates can only carry out door-to-door campaigning. This is because 14 parliamentary constituencies -- Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga -- are going to the polls on May 7. The office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (CEO) said that from 6 pm on Sunday, state borders in districts going to the polls will also be sealed. Additional CEO Venkatesh Kumar R told The New Sunday Express that from the silent period till the polls are over, the sale of liquor is not permitted. Liquor cannot be brought from other states also. As per Election Commission directions, liquor outlets in other states falling within 5km of the Karnataka border too should remain closed. Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, Ballari, Uttara Kannada, Belagavi and Vijayapura share borders with Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Maharashtra. The CEOs office also requested state governments of neighbouring states to give all employees and labourers paid holiday on May 7 to allow them to vote. The state government has declared a general holiday that day for all government offices, educational institutions and public sector undertakings falling within these constituencies. Also, business enterprises, industries and other institutions have been directed to sanction a paid holiday to allow daily wagers and permanent staff working with them to vote. Kumar said that many people in North Karnataka work in Maharashtra, Hyderabad and other places. The district administrations were directed to call them and persuade them to come to their respective constituencies to vote. The election officials said that no opinion polls are permitted. Restrictions on opinion polls were imposed from Phase-1 elections. There is a ban from April 19 to 6.30 pm on June 1, Kumar said. The election officials have also directed all parties and candidates to ensure that no one except residents remain in the constituency.

Karnataka elections: Fathers and children star in vote-for-vengeance drama

Former CMs' families clash in Shimoga constituency's political battle. Eshwarappa rebels against BJP and Yediyurappa family. Geetha Shivarajkumar, backed by Congress, aims to end Yediyurappa family's dominance in the election.

Amid suspense, Rahul veering towards fighting from Rae Bareli

Congress delays announcing Amethi and Rae Bareli candidates. Rahul may contest from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi. Priyanka is unlikely to run, as per the sources. Indecision due to Wayanad's victory and concerns about Kerala optics. Party leaders like KC Venugopal, and Kharge are said to have discussed the subject in Shimoga in Karnataka after a public rally Thursday afternoon

Shimoga Lok Sabha Seat :

(Karnataka) , . . 2019 . . .

Cinema, politics blend in Shimoga showdown

Kannada cinema stars Shivarajkumar and Geetha Shivarajkumar campaign in Esuru village, highlighting historical significance and Geetha's strong political stance. Their presence evokes enthusiasm, promising change and support in the constituency.

Election heat: North Karnataka gears up for Phase-3

BENGALURU: A day after polling ended in the 14 Parliamentary constituencies of South and Coastal Karnataka, the focus of election officials has now shifted to Kittur, Kalyana and Malnad Karnataka regions. On May 7, Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere and Shimoga will go to polls. An official from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, told TNIE that the problems are different with the terrain. However, the biggest concern is the summer heat. While the hot and dry weather conditions of Ballari, Bagalkot and Kalaburagi are worrisome, the terrain of the Ghat regions -- Western and Eastern -- are to be closely watched, he said. The poll officials said the North Karnataka regions of Phase-3 also have another concern, because of the border areas. A total of 172 police border check-posts have been set up, along with 40 managed by the excise department. If need be, more will be created. Karnataka shares borders with Telangana, AP , Goa and Maharashtra in areas falling under Phase-3 elections. Till polling is complete, border areas along Tamil Nadu and Kerala -- falling under Phase-2 -- will not be cleared. In addition, 19 forest check-posts and 15 transport check-posts have been created, the official said. All 65 companies of security personnel that were on duty for Phase-2 polls, have been shifted to areas that will see polling in Phase-3. Also, since the geographical area is large, over 2 lakh election staffers will be stationed. We are expecting a marginal rise in voting percentage in Phase-3. The average voting percentage could be around 67-68%. Due to high temperatures, we are expecting that the voter turn-out will be more during evening hours after 5 pm, and before 9 am, the official mentioned. 2,59,17,493 - Total number of voters for Phase-3 elections 1,29,66,570 - Females 1,29,48,978 - Males 28,269 - Number of polling stations

Action now shifts to 14 seats in North Karnataka

BENGALURU: With polling for 14 Lok Sabha seats, including the Old Mysuru region, done and dusted on Friday, the political action now shifts to the remaining 14 seats in the northern part of the state. It will be a straight fight between the Congress and BJP in most of the seats, except in Shivamogga, where former minister KS Eshwarappa has joined the fray, and Davanagere, where Vinaykumar, an educationist, could tilt the balance. Both hail from the Kuruba community. With no candidates in the contest, JDS will play a supporting role for alliance partner BJP. Eshwarappa, who was suspended from the BJP, poses a challenge to former CM B S Yediyurappas son and sitting MP BY Vijayendra. Vinaykumar, who expected a Congress ticket, is likely to create trouble for Shamanur Shivashankarappas daughter-in-law, Prabha, wife of Minister S S Mallikarjun.There are a number of big leaders whose prestige is at stake: former chief ministers Basavaraj Bommai in Haveri and Jagadish Shettar in Belagavi, and Union ministers Prahlad Joshi in Hubballi-Dharwad and Bhagawant Khuba in Bidar. In Kalaburagi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharges son-in-law, Radhakrishna Doddamani is testing the political waters. In Ballari, Congress has pitted Sandur MLA E Tukaram against former minister B Sriramulu. Young leaders are taking on veterans: Mrinal Hebbalkar, son of Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, is up against Shettar in Belagavi, while Forest Minister Eshwar Khandres son Sagar Khandre faces Khuba in Bidar. Anand Asuti is pitched against Joshi in Dharwad. The 14 seats going for polls on May 7 are Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bidar, Bijapur, Chikkodi, Davanagere, Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Haveri, Ballari, Koppal, Raichur, Shimoga, and Uttara Kannada.

Karnataka: More than 2.5 crore to vote in Phase-3

BENGALURU: A total of 2,59,52,958 people will vote under Phase-3 of the Lok Sabha elections on May 7 in the 14 constituencies of north and central Karnataka. Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena on Wednesday said Chikkodi, Belagavi, Bagalkot, Viajaypura, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Ballari, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere and Shimoga will vote on May 7. These constituencies have a total of 1,29,83,406 male voters, 1,29,67,607 female and 1,945 third gender voters. A total of 3,43,966 voters have been listed as People with Disabilities (PwD) and 2,29,263 voters are aged above 85. There are also 6,90,929 first-time voters. Meena said the number of female voters is more than male voters in Phase-3. The highest number of voters are in Gulbarga Parliamentary constituency at 20,98,202, while Uttara Kannada has the lowest at 16,41,156. The total number of voters under both Phase-2 and Phase-3 are 5,47,72,300, who will cast their vote in 58,871 polling booths. The entire state has 2,74,11,505 male voters, 2,73,55,783 female and 5,012 third gender voters. For the by-election to the Shorapur Assembly Constituency, there are a 2,83,148 voters. There are 6,714 first-time voters, 2,383 people are aged over 85 and 3,819 are people with disabilities.

Karnataka Election Commission Files 189 Major Election Violation Cases

Karnataka Election Commission Files 189 Major Election Violation Cases As Karnataka gears up for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26, the Election Commission on Wednesday said all the polling stations in the Bangalore Rural and Mysore constituencies will be webcast. As of now, a total of 189 cases have been booked against political parties or candidates for major violations under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), they said. Addressing a press conference here, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said 1.4 lakh polling officials will be on duty at the 30,602 polling stations across the 14 constituencies which are going for polls in the first phase on Friday. Besides them, 5,000 micro observers, 50,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Parliamentary Force and State Armed Police force of other States will also be deployed for security at these polling stations, he said. ''All the 2,829 polling stations of Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency will be 100 per cent webcast. This is as per the request of our returning officers and observers; so we have given more than double central parliamentary force for the Bangalore Rural Constituency. Seven companies of central paramilitary forces have been inducted at the constituency since April 22,'' Meena said. Out of the 30,602 polling stations --- 19,701 polling stations will be webcast while 1,370 will be covered via CCTVs, he said. Out of the total 189 cases booked against political parties or candidates 23 are related to hate speeches, 28 related to inducement, and 15 related to misuse of religious places among other MCC violations, the official said. Listing out the alleged MCC violations by political parties, he said for hate speech, 12 cases have been booked against BJP or its candidates, nine cases against Congress and two cases against JD(S). In connection with inducement, eight cases have been filed against BJP, nine against Congress, three against JD(S) and eight against independent candidates or unrecognised political parties. For misuse of religious places, eight cases have been booked against BJP, six against Congress and one against an independent candidate. For using children for canvassing, seven cases each have been booked against BJP and Congress and one against an independent candidate, he added. The 14 segments facing polls in the first phase are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Chikkballapur and Kolar. There are a total of 2,88,19,342 electors in these constituencies -- 1,44,28,099 male, 1,43,88,176 female and 3,067 third gender, according to the poll body. Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere and Shimoga will go to polls in the second phase on May 7. In these constituencies, there are a total of 2,59,52,958 electors 1,29,83,406 are male, 1,29,67,607 are female and 1,945 are third gender -- and 28,269 polling stations.

Not scared of expulsion from BJP, says ex-Deputy CM Eshwarappa

SHIVAMOGGA: Former Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa on Tuesday said he is not scared of expulsion from the BJP as he reiterated his resolve to contest the Lok Sabha elections as an independent with full vigour. He said his expulsion was on the expected lines. BJP on Monday expelled Eshwarappa for six years for violating party discipline and contesting Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate. Ignoring the party's directions, you are contesting as a rebel candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency, causing embarrassment to the party. This is a violation of party discipline, state disciplinary committee president Lingaraj Patil said in the expulsion order. It said, So, you have been relieved from all the responsibilities and have been expelled from the party for six years, with immediate effect. Eshwarappa has remained steadfast on his decision to contest, spurning efforts by party leaders to pacify him. The party's decision to expel the former Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council came on the last day for withdrawal of candidature for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka on May seven. Eshwarappa along with Yediyurappa and late H N Ananth Kumar is widely credited with building the BJP from the grassroots in Karnataka. Ahead of the Assembly polls last year, opting out of the contest, he had asked the party's central leadership that he wished to retire from electoral politics and requested it to not consider fielding him from any constituency. Modi had then dialled Eshwarappa and spoke to him over a video call and expressed appreciation for his move to retire from poll politics, as per the instructions from the party. I have not received any communication from the party regarding my expulsion. The fact is that I was wondering why I was not expelled yet, Eshwarappa told reporters here on Tuesday, in an apparent sarcastic note. He said, I will not be scared of expulsion. My contesting is clear, winning from Shivamogga (Shimoga Lok Sabha seat) is clear and strengthing (the hands of) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also clear, the 75-year-old said. He added that he has been allotted the election symbol of farmer with sugarcane, which indicates blessings for him from the farmers of his constituency. Eshwarappa was eyeing a ticket for his son K E Kantesh from neighbouring Haveri constituency. After the denial of the ticket, Eshwarappa rebelled against former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and BJP's Parliamentary Board member accusing him of scuttling his son's political prospects. Targeting Yediyurppa and his two sons -- B Y Raghavendra who is contesting the election on a BJP ticket from Shivamogga and B Y Vijayendra, BJP state president and Shikaripura MLA, Eshwarappa said BJP has turned into a 'Father-Son' party in Karnataka with nepotism galore.

BJP expels rebel Karnataka leader KS Eshwarappa for six years

BENGALURU: The BJP on Monday expelled rebel leader K S Eshwarappa for six years for violating party discipline and contesting Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate. The former deputy chief minister who had also served as the party's state unit president, has entered the poll fray, blaming state BJP president B Y Vijayendra and his father and veteran party leader B S Yediyurappa, for his son K E Kantesh being denied the ticket to contest from Haveri. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has got BJP's Haveri ticket, while Vijayendra's brother and MP B Y Raghavendra is the BJP candidate from Shimoga. BJP expelled KS Eshwarappa from the party for 6 years for embarrassing the party by contesting as an Independent from Shivamogga constituency: Karnataka BJP pic.twitter.com/t66oNJDe4p ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2024 Ignoring the party's directions, you are contesting as a rebel candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency, causing embarrassment to the party. This is violation of party discipline, state disciplinary committee president Lingaraj Patil said in the expulsion order. It said, so, you have been relieved from all the responsibilities and have been expelled from the party for six years, with immediate effect. BJP leader KS Eshwarappa refuses to back off from contesting amid pressure from party's high command The 75-year-old Eshwarappa, had remained steadfast in his decision to contest, spurning efforts by party leaders to pacify him. He had even filed his nomination as an independent candidate. The party's decision to expel the former Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, came on the last day for withdrawal of candidature for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka on May 7. Eshwarappa, along with Yediyurappa and the late H N Ananth Kumar, is widely credited for building the BJP from the grassroots in Karnataka. Claiming that the party in the state is in the clutches of its Parliamentary board member Yediyurappa and his family, with his one son as MP and other son Vijayendra as MLA and the state BJP president, Eshwarappa, has repeatedly accused Yediyurappa of sidelining those who espoused the cause of Hindutva like Nalin Kumar Kateel, Pratap Simha, C T Ravi and D V Sadananda Gowda. He has, however, stressed that he is not against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ahead of the Assembly polls last year, opting out of the contest, he had asked the party's central leadership that he wished to retire from electoral politics and requested it to not consider fielding him from any constituency. Modi had then dialled Eshwarappa and spoke to him over a video call and expressed appreciation for his move to retire from poll politics, as per the instructions from the party. Modi doppleganger shines in KS Eshwarappa's roadshow in Shivamogga

Rameshwaram Cafe blast accused in touch with with ISIS operatives?

Bengaluru: The Rameshwaram Cafe blast case has taken a significant turn with the arrest of Musavir Hussain Shajeeb and Abdul Mateen Ahmed Taha, who are suspected to have ties with the terrorist organisation ISIS. Sources within the investigating agency revealed that Taha and Musavir, hailing from Tirthahalli in Shimoga district, are believed to have been Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Man-of-the-season: BJP once again falls back on Yediyurappa to deliver for party in Karnataka

Man-of-the-season: BJP once again falls back on Yediyurappa to deliver for party in Karnataka BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa is out of power and electoral politics for sure, but his clout in the party's affairs in Karnataka remains undiminished as its central leadership seems to be once again falling back on this seasoned oarsman to deliver in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Whether it is selection of candidates or quelling dissidence in multiple constituencies, the party's 81-year-old central election committee member is seen to be ''man-of-the-season.'' Stakes are indeed high for the BJP Parliamentary Board member as he will have to ensure that his son B Y Vijayendra consolidates his position as the party's state President and silence critics who have questioned his selection for the post ignoring the claims of experienced hands. The octogenarian, who has already announced his retirement from electoral politics, is sought to be put on the pedestal by the BJP's central leaders, making him a key poll mascot in the state, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The reasons are not far to seek as to why Yediyurappa has been pushed to the top of the party's election plank. The four-time Chief Minister, who built the party from grassroots level, has a mass appeal and connect particularly among the politically influential Lingayat community that no other party leader in the State commands. Its now quite evident from the BJPs scheme of things that the party is keen on leveraging the ''Yediyurappa factor'' and putting him up as the poster boy to reap rich electoral dividends. No less than the Prime Minister himself had a lavish praise for Yediyurappa in his home district of Shivamogga during his public meeting earlier this month. ''Shivamogga is a special land -- that when no one knew about us during the Jana Sangh days, when we had no members even at the municipality level -- at such a time Yediyurappa ji spent his prime here. This is his 'Tapobhoomi','' Modi had said. According to some political observers and BJP insiders, the party sought to sideline Yediyurappa in the Assembly elections in May last year. The BJP was ousted from power by the Congress and able to win only 66 seats in the 224-member Assembly. Corruption issue, consolidation of minority votes behind the Congress and a section of Lingayats drifting away from the BJP were seen to be among the key factors for its defeat. Vijayendra was appointed as State unit President in November last year, with the party once again reposing faith in Yediyurappa. Yediyurappa's imprint is clearly visible in selection of candidates for Lok Sabha polls, as he got tickets to his elder son B Y Raghavendra in Shimoga, and several loyalists including Shobha Karandlaje in Bangalore North, Gayatri Siddeshwara, wife of MP G M Siddeshwara, in Davangere, former CM Basavaraj Bommai in Haveri and Govind M Karjol in Chitradurga. It is also said that he played a key role in picking scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar for the Mysore seat, replacing MP Prathap Simha. However, Yediyurappa also had to face backlash from a number of aspirants, who did not get the ticket. Several senior leaders like J C Madhuswamy from Tumakuru, former MLAs M P Renukacharya and S A Ravindranatha from Chitradurga, MP Karadi Sanganna from Koppal, and some party leaders from Belagavi had openly expressed their angst against him for not backing their candidature. The party also faced dissidence in constituencies like Bidar and Chitradurga among others. Veteran party leader K S Eshwarappa has revolted and announced that he will contest as an independent from Shivamogga, where Raghavendra is the candidate. He has blamed Yediyurappa for his son K E Kantesh not getting a ticket from neighbouring Haveri. Yediyurappa has reached out to disgruntled leaders, personally meeting some of them. According to a party functionary, ''the Yediyurappa factor has been largely beneficial to the BJP, but it has also adversely affected at times. It is like a double edged sword. His clout and appeal within the party and among voters, especially the Lingayats, cannot be denied. At the same time, this has also led to conflicts and rifts within the party, amid accusations of nepotism and favoritism.'' ''Yediyurappa factor obviously means, strong leadership and mass appeal, but too much dependence on it, with focus on Lingayat votes has somewhat limited the party from broadening its social base among other communities like Vokkaligas,'' he said. ''The party has seen its negative effects electorally, as it has never been able to get majority on its own in the state.'' Pointing out that Yediyurappa is undisputedly the ''chief architect'' of BJP in Karnataka, with support of other leaders like Eshwarappa and late H N Ananth Kumar, another party leader said: ''controversies and corruption allegations apart, under his leadership, the party has performed well in successive elections and whenever he is sidelined, the performance has been weak. This may be in the mind of the central leadership to fall back on him time and again.'' During the 2023 Assembly polls too, BJP initially tried its best to secure Lingayat support without Yediyurappa, but were not very confident about it, and at the later stages it had to rope in the veteran leader, a party leader noted, adding that efforts to cultivate support from some other communities also did bear desired results. Yediyurappa resigned as Chief Minister on July 26, 2021. Age was cited as a primary factor for his exit from the top job, with an unwritten rule in the BJP of keeping out those above 75 years from elected offices. Also, the BJP central leadership wanted to make way for new leadership ahead of the Assembly polls. Ahead of assembly polls, Yediyurappa announced retirement from electoral politics. The BJP had swept the 2019 general elections to Lok Sabha, bagging 25 of the total 28 seats in the state, while an independent backed by the party had also emerged victorious.

Karnataka: BJP's Bommai accuses Congress of 'double standards' on Mekedatu row, asks party to 'come out of alliance' with DMK

Karnataka: BJP's Bommai accuses Congress of 'double standards' on Mekedatu row, asks party to 'come out of alliance' with DMK Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP's candidate from Haveri-Gadag Lok Sabha constituency, Basavaraj Bommai, accused the ruling Congress party on Friday of 'double standards' regarding the Mekedatu Dam issue. Speaking to reporters in Hubbali on Friday, Bommai said the Congress, which was agitating and demanding the implementation of the said project, has now joined hands with the DMK, which is opposing the project and he further said the grand old party must sever its ties with the Tamil Nadu-based political party. The Mekedatu Dam is a multi-purpose (drinking water and power) project involving the construction of a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Karnataka's Ramanagara district. The dam, once completed, is expected to supply over 4 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water to Bengaluru city for drinking purposes, which is currently facing a severe water crisis. Earlier on Wednesday, the Congress party's alliance partner, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu, unveiled its election manifesto, promising to stall the construction of the balancing reservoir project. Responding to senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa's remarks, Bommai said the party high command will reach out to the Shivamogga leader and sort out the issue. He is a senior leader of the party and has played an important role in building the party in Karnataka. Such incidents would have hurt him. The top brass would talk to the miffed leaders like Eshwarappa, DV Sadananda Gowda and Karadi Sanganna and resolve everything, Bommai said. Eashrappa had hit out at party veteran BS Yediyurappa earlier after Bommai was named the BJP's Lok Sabha pick from Haveri, claiming that he was promised that his son would be on the ticket to contest the seat. The BJP also named BS Yediyurappa's son BY Raghvendra from Shimoga and V Sommana from Tumkuru. Eshwarappa turned on his party following the announcement, saying, BS Yediyurappa had promised that he would give the ticket to (his son) KE Kantesh from Haveri. So I sent Kantesh there to campaign. But today, my son didn't get the ticket and Yediyurappa's son did. Speaking at a public meeting earlier, Eshwarappa said that he will contest independently and win the elections even if Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes and attempts to change his mind. The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be held in seven phases starting on April 19. Karnataka will vote in two phases on April 26 and May 7. Counting of votes on June 4. (ANI)

BJP seeks ban on actor Shivarajkumar''s movies, ads, & billboards until end of LS polls

BJP urges EC to ban Shivarajkumar's Congress campaign ads to ensure fairness in elections. Geetha is contesting from Shimoga. Raghu highlights the need to prevent undue influence while Meena confirms reviewing the request.

Travel tips: Tourists are thrilled to see the majestic water covered with natural beauty, the heart beats fast after seeing the water.

India holds a unique place in the world in terms of natural beauty. Innumerable tourists from Arab countries and Western countries come to visit India. There are many great places to visit in India. High mountains, lush green plains and beautiful waterfalls, wide flowing rivers, sandy plains, Thar Desert, Rann of Kutch etc. attract everyone. There are many beautiful waterfalls in India that people come from far and wide to see. There is no fixed time to see these waterfalls. You can see these any time of the year, but it is more thrilling to see these waterfalls during the rainy days. These days, people in most parts of the country are troubled by the scorching sun and intense heat. Due to continuously rising mercury, people's condition is becoming miserable. In such a situation, now people are eagerly waiting for the monsoon. It is expected that the monsoon will become fully active by the end of June. The rainy season is the favorite season of many people. Seeing the waterfalls falling from a height during the rainy season gives its unique pleasure. Today we are going to tell our readers about some such waterfalls that you would like to see sometime or other. Dhuandhar Waterfall There are many places worth visiting in Madhya Pradesh, the state called the heart of India. The Dhuandhar Waterfall present here is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country. Here the Narmada river falling from a height looks exactly like smoke. You will feel the coolness of the water falling from the waterfall from a distance. You can also visit Bhedaghat near this waterfall, the marble rocks will fascinate you. Naneghat Waterfall Naneghat Waterfall located in Maharashtra is one of the most famous waterfalls in the world. The beauty of this place makes everyone crazy about it. The specialty of this waterfall is that it moves opposite to the flow of wind. You should see the beautiful view of this waterfall falling amidst beautiful valleys once. Kempty Waterfall If you live in or around Delhi, then Kempty Waterfall will prove to be a great destination for you. Situated at a height of about 4500 feet above sea level, this waterfall will prove to be a perfect travel destination for monsoon lovers. Dudhsagar Waterfall If you are planning to visit Goa in the rainy season, then definitely visit Dudhsagar Waterfall located nearby. Situated at a height of 1017 feet, this waterfall flows from the Mandovi River of Goa. The beautiful view here will win your heart during the rainy season. Jog Waterfall Jog Waterfall is considered to be the second-highest waterfall in India. Located on the border of Shimoga and Uttara Kannada, this waterfall flows through the forests. If you are a nature lover and you like hiking along with swimming, then this place will prove to be perfect for you. Shivana Samudra Waterfall Located in the state of Karnataka and about 130 km from Bangalore, Shivanasamudra Falls is easily accessible by road. This waterfall is situated on the banks of river Kaveri and the river divides and falls in two different places Gaganchukki and Bharchukki. It is 100 km from Mysore. It drops water from a height of about 98 meters. It is used for hydroelectric power generation. The hydropower plant established on it is the first hydropower plant in Asia, which was established in 1902. Shivanasamudra The total distance from Bengaluru to Shivanasamudra is 138 kilometers. Kollegal is the nearest town, which is well connected by roads and has regular buses Which run from Bengaluru to Shivanasamudra. This fall presents a picturesque view and you can enjoy holidays here. Bhambavli Waterfall Bhambawali Waterfall is located at an altitude of 1840 feet near the Sahyadri Hills in Satara, Western Maharashtra. This is the highest falling waterfall in India. This waterfall originates from the Urmodi River. This waterfall also has religious importance. Chitrakote Waterfall The widest waterfall in Asia and the largest waterfall in India, Chitrakote Falls is also known as the Niagara Falls of India. Located in Chhattisgarh, this waterfall originates from the Indravati River in Bastar district. Here you can also visit the ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which is situated near this waterfall. Talakona Falls With a height of 270 feet, Talakona Falls is the highest waterfall in Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country and is situated amidst forests and wildlife. It is located within the Sri Venkateswara National Park in Chittoor. It is also believed that the water of this spring has medicinal value as there are many medicinal herbs around this area. Mekedatu Water Fall Located in Kanakapura district, 100 km from Bangalore, this is a very beautiful waterfall that is formed by the meeting of two rivers, the water of this waterfall flows through a deep valley about 3.5 km downstream. Mekayadu means goat's jump. There is a story about it that, a long time ago a tiger was chasing a goat. During this time, the goat jumped from this hill to save its life, after which the hoof marks of the goat can be seen here even today. This hill is very slippery. Be careful if you are climbing a hill. Hogankal Falls Hogankal Falls is the Niagara Falls of Karnataka which is located in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu. Its distance from Bangalore is about 180 kilometers. A crowd of tourists can be seen here during monsoon. It is said about this waterfall that if the water flow is high then avoid boating. Muthala Maduwa Falls Muthala Maduwa Falls is located near Anekal. It is located at a distance of 40 km from Bangalore. It is known as the Valley of Pearls. The waterfall here is smaller than other places, yet crowds of tourists can be seen here. Picnic and boating can be enjoyed here with friends during weekends. (PC: Lifeberrys)

Seat-sharing arrangement issue with JD(S) will be resolved amicably, says State BJP chief

Seat-sharing arrangement issue with JD(S) will be resolved amicably, says State BJP chief With JD(S) indicating its unhappiness over the seat sharing issue for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Tuesday said he has spoken to its leadership after consulting his party's high command, and expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved amicably. He said BJP and JD(S) leadership are discussing ''everything and there will be a happy ending.'' ''Last night I had a telephonic discussion with our national leaders, after that I spoke to former Prime Minister (H D Deve Gowda over phone, and have also shared information with H D Kumaraswamy this morning,'' Vijayendra said. Speaking to reporters here, he said he is confident that everything will be fine, and the national leadership will make a decision that is satisfactory to the JD(S). Indicating that JD(S) is unhappy over the seat sharing issue, its state President H D Kumaraswamy on Monday said he has faith that the regional party will get three to four seats, amid reports that the saffron party may cede it only two. The former Chief Minister also said his party leaders have asked him to communicate to the BJP leadership about the need to treat the JD(S) ''respectfully'' and make them understand its strength in at least 18 Lok Sabha segments. On whether JD(S) will contest in three seats, Vijayendra said the issue is still under discussion. ''How can I say anything?'' ''If there are any minor issues, for everything there will be a happy ending, and BJP-JD(S)' NDA alliance will continue successfully,'' he said. JD(S) joined the NDA last September and has forged an electoral alliance with the BJP. The regional party is expected to contest in three seats -- Mandya, Hassan and Kolar -- and as per agreement between both parties, noted cardiac surgeon, and Deve Gowda's son-in-law Dr C N Manjunath has been fielded from Bangalore Rural on a BJP ticket. However, according to recent reports, BJP is not ready to cede Kolar seat to JD(S), which has irked the regional outfit. On Congress sending feelers to BJP leader and former Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Vijayendra said, he is confident that everything will be fine and there is no question of him crossing over and he will remain in BJP. Gowda is upset over being denied ticket to recontest from Bangalore North Lok Sabha seat. Asked about senior party leader K S Eshwarappa who has raised a banner of rebellion and is contesting as an independent from Shimoga Lok Sabha seat, Vijayendra said, ''he is a senior leader, certain wrong information has gone to him and he is reacting to it, and I'm confident that everything will be fine, once he understands the truth.''

PM Modi's South India Tour | Can BJP Crack The South Code? | Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | News18

PM Modi's South India Tour | Can BJP Crack The South Code? | Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | News18Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a crucial leg of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)s Lok Sabha poll campaign today, March 18, with scheduled public rallies and a roadshow in Karnatakas Shivamogga district and Tamil Nadus Coimbatore, respectively.First Stop: Karnatakas Shivamogga DistrictIn Shivamogga, PM Modi will address a public meeting at the Allama Prabhu ground (Freedom Park), marking his support for BJP candidates ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The district, known as the home turf of BJP stalwart Yediyurappa, holds strategic importance for the saffron party. BJP candidate BY Raghavendra, Yediyurappas elder son, is contesting from the Shimoga constituency, facing competition from former deputy CM K S Eshwarappa, who has declared his intention to contest as an independent candidate. The BJP aims to replicate its 2019 electoral success, where it won 25 out of 28 seats in Karnataka. Party leaders express confidence in securing victories across all 28 seats this year.

Senior BJP leader Eshwarappa skips PM Modi's rally, in embarrassment to party ahead of LS polls

Eshwarappa has announced he will contest as an independent candidate from Shimoga (Shivamogga) in the coming Lok Sabha polls, blaming veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa and his son B Y Vijayendra, who is state BJP President, for his son K E Kantesh being denied ticket.

PM Modi to address second public meeting in Karnataka in the run up to LS election

PM Modi to address second public meeting in Karnataka in the run up to LS election Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public meeting for the Lok Sabha elections in Shivamogga on Monday, the BJP state unit said on Sunday. This comes two days after his first election meeting in Karnataka was held in Kalaburagi, the home turf of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. The party is expecting a turnout of 2.5 lakh people at the Allama Prabhu ground (Freedom Park). The second public meeting in Karnataka for the 2024 Lok Sabha election is happening in the home district of BJP stalwart Yediyurappa. His elder son B Y Raghavendra is BJP's candidate for the Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency, where party rebel and former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa says he will constest as an independent candidate. BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra, who is former chief minister B S Yediyurappas second son, visited Allama Prabhu ground along with senior party functionaries to oversee the preparations and gave necessary directions to ensure that the meeting goes well. The saffron party is aiming at repeating its 2019 performance in 2024 as well. The party had won 25 out of 28 seats in 2019, while the Congress and the JD(S) had to settle for just one seat each. Party leaders have expressed confidence that the BJP would win all 28 seats in Karnataka this time.

Dattatreya Hosabale re-elected as RSS Sarkaryavah in annual ABPS meet at Nagpur

The three-day Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has re-electedShri Dattatreya Hosabale ji for the post of Sarkaryavah (general secretary) for three more years. The annual meet began on 15 March and will end on the 17th. The RSS Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) re-elected (2024-2027) Shri Dattatreya Hosabale ji for the post of Sarkaryavah. He has been discharging the responsibility of Sarkaryavah since 2021, the organisation posted on X. TheSarkaryavah is the executive head of the organisation and conducts the affairs of the Sangh, according to the RSS website. Until now, there have been seven Sarsanghchalaks and 14 Sarkaryavahs of the Sangh. Currently, Dr Mohan Bhagwat is serving as RSS Sarsanghchalak. The Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of the RSS began on Friday at the Smriti Bhavan complex in Reshimbagh, Nagpur (the headquarters of the RSS) after a gap of six years.More than 1,500 representatives of various RSS-affiliated organisations are attending the meeting. Nagpur (March 17, 2024): The RSS Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) re-elected (2024-2027) Shri Dattatreya Hosabale ji for the post of Sarkaryavah. He has been discharging the responsibility of Sarkaryavah since 2021. pic.twitter.com/CjsWrtH9UT RSS (@RSSorg) March 17, 2024 Addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Dattatreya Hosabale said, Sangh is getting into the hearts of the people and the impact of the Sangh is also increasing in the society. The way people welcomed us across the country during the 'Akshat Vitaran' before the Pran Pratistha of Ram Lalla shows the environment of the country. Ram temple is the symbol of India's civilization and its culture. Shri Ram is the civilizational identity of the country, this has been proven time and again and also proven on January 22. Approximately 20 crore houses have been reached by the RSS or people with our ideology, this is a record in India's history that such a thing has happened in just 15 days, he said. In response to queries regarding electoral bonds, Hosabale remarked, RSS has not thought anything about this subject. It has not even been discussed here in Pratinidhi Sabah because electoral bonds is an experiment, such experiments keep happening, there should be checks and balances. He emphasized the need for scrutiny and evaluation of such systems, pointing out that the concept of electoral bonds is not entirely new and has been implemented before. The Election Commission on Thursday released the electoral bonds data, with a number of billionaire tycoons and lesser-known entities being among the buyers. Who is Hosabale? Known as 'Dattaji',Hosabale (69) has been serving as the 'Sarkaryavah' since 2021. He was born on 1 December 1954 in a Yadav family in Hosabale village in Soraba taluk of Shimoga district of Karnataka. His family had several RSS activists. He is proficient in many languages including English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Marathi, and his mother tongue Kannada. He holds a Master's degree in English. He is the founder-editor of the popular Kannada & English monthly 'Aseema'. At the age of 13, he became a volunteer of the Sangh in 1968 and in 1972, he joined its student wing - the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He took active participation in the 1975-77 JP movement and even went to jail for two and a half years under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Emergency. In 1978, he served as theNagpur Municipal Contact Head of Vidyarthi Parishad (Student Council) and was known for playing an important role in running the Youth Development Center in Guwahati. In 2003, he became in charge of intellectual training of the RSS. In 2004, he became Sahbaudhik pramukh (second in command of the intellectual wing of RSS) in 2004. In 2009, he was made Sah-Sarkaryawah (co-general secretary). He became Sarkaryavah of the organisation in 2009, a role he continued till 2021. In April 2015, he was sent as the head of the relief team and material by the Sangh at the time of the massive earthquake in Nepal. Hosabale took over as the RSS general secretary from Bhaiyaji Joshi in 2021. (With additional inputs from ANI and PTI)

Modi begins South push with rallies, road show

Narendra Modi intensifies South India campaign for BJP's 370-seat goal, addressing rallies in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Plans NDA rally with N Chandrababu Naidu in Palnadu. Visits lined up for Salem, Coimbatore, Pathanamthitta, Shimoga, Gulbarga, and Guntur.

Karnataka BJP Leader KS Eshwarappa Says Will Contest As Independent Candidate

Senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa on Friday announced that he will contest as an independent candidate from the Shimoga seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Revolt in Karnataka BJP as Eshwarappa to contest as independent

Shivamogga: Senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa on Friday announced that he will contest as an independent candidate from the Shimoga seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, blaming party veteran and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for his son K E Kantesh being denied a ticket for the Haveri constituency. Yediyurappas son and Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Dhule MP Subhash Bhamre thanks PM Modi after BJP reconsiders him for Lok Sabha election

Dhule MP Subhash Bhamre thanks PM Modi after BJP reconsiders him for Lok Sabha election After being fielded again from the Dhule constituency, BJP MP Subhash Bhamre expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda after the party fielded him from the Dhule constituency again. I am very happy today that the Central Election Committee has announced my name. They have given me an opportunity once again. I thank the Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi. I also want to thank Party President JP Nadda, Amit Shah, and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra ji Fadwanis. I want to thank the public also... said BJP MP Subhash Bhamre. Earlier on Wednesday, The Bharatiya Janata Party released the second list of Lok Sabha polls consisting of 72 candidates, including three former Chief Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar, Trivendra Singh Rawat, Basvaraj Bommai as well as four Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Anurag Thakur, and Piyush Goyal, Pralhad Joshi. The BJP has fielded former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for the Karnal Lok Sabha seat. Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier resigned from the position of Haryana Chief Minister on Tuesday. In Himachal Pradesh, Union Minister Anurag Thakur will contest from the Hamirpur constituency. Suresh Kashyap has been fielded from Shimla seat. In Karnataka, the party has fielded Union Minister Pralhad Joshi from Dharwad. Tejaswi Surya will contest from the Bangalore South constituency. Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basvaraj Bommai has been given a ticket from the Haveri Lok Sabha seat, while PC Mohan will contest from Bangalore Central. In Maharashtra, the BJP has decided to field Union Minister Nitin Gadkari from the Nagpur seat. Piyush Goyal will contest from Mumbai North. Pankja Munde has been fielded from Beed.The BJP also announced the candidature for two seats in Uttarakhand. The party has fielded former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat from the Haridwar seat while Anil Baluni, who is the National Chief Spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party is set to contest from the Garhwal seat. Also, BJP announced that Harsh Malhotra will contest from East Delhi constituency, a seat which was held by former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir. Yogendra Chandolia will contest from North West Delhi. Meanwhile, Kalaben Delkar will contest from Dadar and Nagar Haveli. In the second list, the BJP has announced the names of candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat. In Gujarat, the party has fielded Hashmukhbhai Somabhai Patel from Ahmedabad East, Dhawal Patel from Valsad, Mukeshbhai Chandrakant Dalal from Surat, Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt from Vadodara, Nimuben Bambhania from Bhavnagar, Bhikhaji Dudhaji Thakor from Sabarkantha and Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathwa from Chhota Udaipur. Six names have been announced from Haryana. Banto Kataria from Ambala, Ashok Tanwar from Sirsa, Chaudhary Dharambir Singh from Bhiwani-Mahendargah, Rao Inderjit Singh Yadav from Gurgaon, and Krishanpal Gurjar from Faridabad. BJP has fielded Raghvendra from Shimoga and V Sommana from Tumkur in Karnataka.In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has fielded Vivek 'Bunty' Sahu from the Chhindwara seat where he will face Congress leader Nakul Nath. Shankar Lalwani will contest from Indore. In Maharashtra, Anup Dhotre will fight the polls from the Akola seat on the BJP ticket, and Kapil Moreshwar Patil from Bhiwandi. In Telangana, Godam Nagesh will contest from Adilabad, DK Aruna from Mahbubnagar, and Saida Reddy will contest from Nalgonda. From Tripura East, Maharani Kriti Singh Debbarma will contest on BJP ticket. Earlier, the Bharatiya Janata Party released its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi again. Meanwhile, Congress has so far announced names for 82 Lok Sabha seats.The BJP-led National Democratic (NDA) won a total of 303 seats, leaving the grand-old party behind at 52 seats.The Lok Sabha polls are slated to be held in April-May this year. (ANI)

Yediyurappa cheated us: Eashwarappa hits out after his son denied LS ticket

Shimoga: Miffed after his son was denied a ticket for the Haveri-Gadag Lok Sabha seat, senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa on Wednesday laid the blame on former chief minister and Lingayat stalwart BS Yediyurappa. Sulking after the BJP put former CM Basavaraj Bommai on the ticket for the Haveri-Gadag Lok Sabha constituency, the senior BJP Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Children of two ex-CMs to lock horns in Shimoga LS constituency

Children of two ex-CMs to lock horns in Shimoga LS constituency Children of two former chief ministers will be in the contest for the Shimoga Lok Sabha seat, with BJP on Wednesday fielding its sitting MP and veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra. The Congress has named former Chief Minister late S Bangarappa's daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar, who is the wife of Karnataka film star Shivarajkumar and daughter-in-law of Kannada thespian late Rajkumar. Raghavendra has been elected to Parliament from Shimoga three times. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and in the 2018 by-election, he defeated Geetha's brother Madhu Bangarappa, who is now the minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. Madhu was then with JD(S). Raghavendra, in his first Lok Sabha election in 2009, had defeated S Bangarappa. Geetha had earlier contested from the seat on the JD(S) ticket in 2014 and lost against Yediyurappa by a huge margin. She had come third in that election behind Congress candidate Manjunath Bhandary.

Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, ex-CM Khattar in BJP's second list of 72 candidates for Lok Sabha polls

Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, ex-CM Khattar in BJP's second list of 72 candidates for Lok Sabha polls Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal and Anurag Singh Thakur, and three former chief ministers, including Haryana's Manohar Lal Khattar, figured in the BJP's second list of 72 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections announced on Wednesday. The ruling party dropped former Union ministers Sadananda Gowda and Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' from their seats. Khattar and Goyal will be making their Lok Sabha poll debut from Karnal in Haryana and Mumbai North respectively. Former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai will contest from Haveri and former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat from Haridwar. BJP chief spokesperson Anil Baluni will also be fighting his first Lok Sabha poll as the BJP fielded him from Garhwal, replacing former Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat. Gadkari and Thakur will seek re-election from Nagpur in Maharashtra and Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh respectively. In the Beed constituency in Maharashtra, Pankaja Munde has replaced her sister and incumbent MP Pritam Munde. With the second list, the BJP has announced the names of 265 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections due in April-May. On March 2, the party released its first list of candidates for 195 Lok Sabha seats, but two of them -- Bhojpuri singer-actor Pawan Singh and Upendra Rawat -- withdrew after their nominations sparked controversies. Of the 72 seats for which the party announced its candidates on Wednesday, 20 each were from Maharashtra and Karnataka, seven from Gujarat, six each from Haryana and Telangana, five from Madhya Pradesh, two each from Delhi, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and one each from Tripura, and Dadar & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. The BJP's second list includes 10 women candidates. In Delhi, the BJP has fielded two new candidates -- Harsh Malhotra from East Delhi and Yogendra Chandolia from North West Delhi -- dropping the party's sitting MPs Gautam Gambhir and Hans Raj Hans. With this, the BJP has named candidates for all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, dropping six incumbents. Tejasvi Surya, the BJP youth wing president, will contest again from Bangalore South while Union minister Shobha Karandlaje has been shifted from her Udupi Chikmagalur seat to Bangalore North, represented by former Union minister and Karnataka chief minister Gowda in the outgoing Lok Sabha. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysore royal family replaces Pratap Simha, who was recently in a row for recommending passes to two persons who breached Parliament's security, as the BJP candidate in the Mysore seat. Former Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel has been dropped from Dakshina Kannada in favour of Brijesh Chowta, who has served in the Army. In Karnataka, Union minister Pralhad Joshi will fight from Dharwad while former chief minister BS Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghwendra will contest from Shimoga again. Union minister Darshana Jardosh has been dropped from her Surat seat, with the BJP repeating only two of the seven incumbent MPs from Gujarat in the second list. Several Telangana leaders who quit other parties, mainly BRS, figure in the BJP's second list. In the Tripura East seat, the BJP fielded Maharani Kriti Singh Debbarma, sister of Pradyot Debbarma, the Tipra Motha chief and a scion of the erstwhile Tripura royal family. Union minister Bharati Pravin Pawar will join the fray from Maharashtra's Dindori Lok Sabha seat again. Ashok Tanwar, who recently joined the BJP after having a stint with several other parties including the Congress, TMC and the Aam Aadmi Party, replaces sitting MP Sunita Duggal in Sirsa in Haryana, while Union ministers Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar will seek re-election from Gurgaon and Faridabad respectively. In the first list, the ruling party had announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi would contest from Varanasi for a third time. It had also named 34 Union ministers, including heavyweights like Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh from their current Gandhinagar and Lucknow seats respectively, in the first list. Two former chief ministers -- Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Biplab Kumar Deb -- also figured in the first list which did not have many surprise omissions.

BJP names 72 more candidates for Lok Sabha polls, Anurag Thakur and Piyush Goyal among nominees

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Wednesday named 72 more candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, including Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal and Anurag Singh Thakur, and former chief ministers Manohar Lal Khattar, Trivendra Singh Rawat and Basavaraj Bommai. BJP chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni has been fielded from Garhwal in Uttarakhand. In Delhi, it has fielded two new candidates -- Harsh Malhotra from East Delhi and Yogendra Chandolia from North West Delhi. In Karnataka, Union minister Pralhad Joshi will fight from Dharwad while former chief minister B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra will contest from Shimoga. Tejasvi Surya, the BJP's youth wing chief, will seek re-election from Bengaluru South. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysore royal family replaces Pratap Simha as the BJP candidate in the Mysore seat. Earlier this month, the BJP had announced its first list of more than 190 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, due in April-May.

Rahul Gandhi to recontest from Wayanad as Cong announces first list of 39 candidates for LS polls

Rahul Gandhi to recontest from Wayanad as Cong announces first list of 39 candidates for LS polls Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Kerala's Wayanad once again as the party announced its first list of 39 candidates on Friday. Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has been fielded by the party from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal from Alappuzha (Kerala) and Shashi Tharoor renominated from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. However, the party has denied ticket to sitting MP T N Prathapan from the Thrissur constituency, while Venugopal will contest from the lone seat that the Congress lost last time. Tharoor will be contesting from the seat for the fourth time in a row from Thiruvanathapuram. Venugopal said the first list has 15 general category candidates while 24 are from the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities. He also said there are 12 candidates below the age of 50 years, eight between 50 and 60 years, 12 between 61-70 and seven from 71-76 years. There are, however, only three women candidates among the first list of 39 candidates. Congress treasurer Ajay Maken said the list has a good mix of youth and experienced leaders, besides those who have been associated with the Congress party from their student and youth days and are connected with the grassroots. ''The Central Election Committee had met yesterday and has selected 39 candidates in the first list, which includes former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel,'' he announced at a press conference. Asked whether senior leaders have been asked to contest the Lok Sabha polls, Venugopal said this is the Lok Sabha election which will decide the future of the country. ''Our target is to win the maximum number of seats in this Lok Sabha election to eradicate this fascist government. That is the target. We are searching (candidates) for winning each and every seat wherever we can win. ''Senior leaders are there in this list and will be there in coming lists also,'' he said, indicating many senior leaders would figure in the forthcoming lists of the party. Among the candidates declared, six are from Chhattisgarh, seven from Karnataka, 16 from Kerala, four from Telangana, two from Meghalaya and one each from Sikkim, Nagaland, Tripura and Lakshadweep. Among the candidates declared by the party after the CEC cleared it, include Bhupesh Baghel from Rajnandgaon, Shivkumar Dahariya from Jangir-Champa (SC), Jyotsana Mahant from Korba, Tamradhwaj Sahu from Mahasamund, Rajendra Sahu from Durg, Vikas Upadhyay from Raipur (all from Chhattisgarh). Besides, D K Suresh, brother of Karnataka deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, has been fielded once again from the Bangalore Rural constituency, H R Algur (Raju) from Bijapur (SC), Anandaswamy Gaddadevara Math from Haveri, Geetha Shivarajkumar from Shimoga, M Shreyas Patel from Hassan, S P Muddahanumegowda from Tumkur and Venkataramegowda (Star Chandru) from Mandya in Karnataka. In Kerala, Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad, K C Venugopal from Alappuzha, Rajmohan Unnithan from Kasaragod, K Sudhakaran from Kannur, Shafi Parambil from Vadakara, M K Raghavan from Kozhikode, V K Sreekandan from Palakkad, Ramya Haridas from Alathur (SC), K Muraleedharan from Thrissur, Benny Behanan from Chalakudy, Hibi Eden from Ernakulam, Dean Kuriakose from Idukki, party's chief whip in Lok Sabha Kodikunnil Suresh from Mavelikkara (SC), Anto Antony from Pathanamthitta, Adoor Prakash from Attingal and Shashi Tharoor has been renominated from his Thiruvananthapuram constituency. For the Lakshadweep (ST) seat, the party has fielded Mohd Hamdullah Sayeed, while in Meghalaya, former chief minister Vincent H Pala will contest from Shillong (ST) and Saleng A Sangma from the Tura (ST) seat which the TMC was earlier demanding. For the lone Nagaland seat, S Supongmeren Jamir has been fielded while in Sikkim the party has fielded Gopal Chettri. In Telangana, the party has fielded Suresh Kumar Shetkar from Zahirabad, Raghuveer Kunduru from Nalgonda, Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy from Mahbubnagar and Balram Naik Porika from Mahabubabad (ST). For the Tripura (West) seat, the Congress has fielded Ashish Kumar Saha in its first list. The announcement came a day after the CEC finalised the names for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections following a discussion on over 60 Lok Sabha seats from 11 states and Union territories. Discussions were held on Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Sikkim, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Lakshadweep. ''We are in election mode and are on an aggressive path of campaigning with Rahul Gandhi undertaking the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra which is currently in Gujarat,'' Venugopal said. The Nyay Yatra will end on March 17 in Mumbai with a mammoth rally and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is writing to all INDIA bloc partners to attend that joint public rally, he said. There are speculations that Rahul Gandhi may also contest from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Raebareli, a seat which was previously held by Sonia Gandhi. Both the seats are considered bastions of the Gandhi family and the local units of the Congress have demanded that the two scions of the Congress first family should contest from there. Venugopal, however, did not answer questions on whether Rahul Gandhi would contest from Amethi too and said the seats will be declared after they are cleared by the CEC. He said the next meeting of CEC headed by the Congress chief would be held on March 11.

Rahul Gandhi and Tharoor to take on big-name rivals as Congress releases first list of Lok Sabha candidates

Congress has confirmed that former Congress President Rahul Gandhi will be seeking re-election from Kerala's Wayanad in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by unveiling its first list of 39 candidates on Friday. The Central Election Committee meeting finalised the names of the candidates from eight states and one Union Territory at a meeting chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday. The states include Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Telangana, and Tripura. Kerala will see three of the partys high-profile leaders including Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary (organization) KC Venugopal from Alappuzha, Working Committee member and Sitting MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor in the fray. The list also includes heavyweights such as former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel contesting from the Rajnandgaon constituency. Battle of biggies in Wayanad, Thiruvananthapuram Though the list is on expected lines, some of the key contests to watch out for would be in Wayanad, where Rahul Gandhi will be taking on his INDIA bloc ally, the CPIs Annie Raja. Rahul, who was previously an MP from Amethi, had lost from there in 2019, but won from Wayanad. The other big contest will be between Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram. 'List based on winnability and loyalty' Of the 39 candidates announced, 15 are from the general category and 24 are from the SC/ST/minorities categories. Our priority is to win the maximum Lok Sabha seats for the Congress party to dislodge the Modi government in the next elections, KC Venugopal said after the announcement. There were no real surprises in the list and Congress has repeated most of its sitting MPs unlike the BJP which dropped many of theirs. Venugopal said, I don't know why BJP cut their sitting MPS. We are going by winnability and loyalty factors. The BJP has already released their first list of 195 candidates and the second list is expected soon. Though speculation is rife over Rahul Gandhi's candidature from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's from Rae Bareli, Venugopal declined to confirm anything. The second meeting of the CEC will be held on March 11. More seats will be discussed then, he said. Both the seats have been bastions of the Gandhi family, though Smriti Irani won from Amethi last time around, and the local units of the Congress have demanded that the two scions of the Congress first family should contest from there. However, the screening committee of Uttar Pradesh hasn't yet held any meetings to pick the candidates. Congress promises to fill 30 lakh vacant govt posts, apprenticeships for youths if voted to power Congress fields Geetha Shivarajkumar from Shimoga, renominates D K Suresh from Bangalore Rural In Karnataka, the Congress retained Deputy CM DK Shivkumar's brother DK Suresh in Bangalore Rural. No names have been announced for the Kalburgi seat amid speculations that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge will contest from there. Kannada actor Shivarajkumar's wife Geetha Shivarajkumar (Shimoga) also figures in the list of seven candidates in Karnataka. A three-time MP, Suresh is the brother of Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar and the sitting MP from Bangalore Rural. He was the only Congress candidate to win in the 2019 general elections in the State. The other five candidates are: H R Algur (Bijapur), Anandswamy Gaddadevarmath (Haveri), SP Muddahanumegowda (Tumkur), Venkataramane Gowda (Mandya) and Shreyas M Patel (Hassan). The party naming Geetha Shivarajkumar for the Shivamogga seat seems to have set the stage for an interesting battle in the home district of BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa. Geetha, daughter of former Chief Minister late S Bangarappa, contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Shivamogga (Shimoga) on a Janata Dal (Secular) ticket and lost to Yediyurappa. The seat is currently held by Yediyurappa's son, BY Raghavedra. Geetha, sister of Karnataka Minister for School Education Madhu Bangarappa and daughter-in- law of Kannada thespian late Rajkumar, joined the Congress in April last year ahead of the Assembly elections in Karnataka. Venkataramane Gowda, also known as Star Chandru, is a contractor by profession. The Mandya seat where he is contesting from is currently represented by Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent backed by the BJP. The Congress had denied renomination to Muddahanumegowda from Tumkur in the 2019 elections to make way for Congress-JD(S) alliance candidate HD Deve Gowda who, however, lost the polls. Muddahanumegowda officially joined the BJP in 2022 but had kept a low profile. He returned to the Congress fold only last month and has now been named from the seat. Congress has named candidates in segments where there was no confusion over the nominee, a party leader said. The BJP-JD(S) combine is yet to come out with its list of candidates. Ten Karnataka BJP MPs may not get tickets for Lok Sabha polls The BJP had swept the 2019 general elections, bagging 25 of the total 28 seats in the state, while an independent (Sumalatha Ambareesh) backed by the party had also emerged victorious. The Congress and the JD(S), which were running a coalition government back then and fought the election together, had come a cropper winning just one seat each. But the political scene has changed significantly since then; the Congress scored a thumping victory in the Assembly elections in May last year and now appears battle-ready, determined to put up a strong show in the Lok Sabha polls. It is also a role reversal of sorts for JD(S) which joined the BJP-led NDA in September last year and wants to prove that it's still a force to reckon with, particularly in South Karnataka. Four from Telangana figure in Congress contestants list for LS polls Four candidates from Telangana including former Union Minister Balram Naik (Mahabubabad) also figured in the first list. The grand old party will be fielding Suresh Kumar Shetkar (Zaheerabad), C Vamshi Chand Reddy (Mahabubnagar) and Raghuveer Kunduru (Nalgonda). Naik served as Union Minister of State between 2009 and 2013 under the UPA-II government. Shetkar was a Lok Sabha member from Zaheerabad from 2009 to 2014, while Reddy is a former MLA. ( With inputs from PTI. )

Rahul Gandhi to contest from Wayanad as Congress releases first list of candidates for Lok Sabha elections

The grand old party of Friday released the first list of 39 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. Rahul Gandhi will be contesting from Wayanad while Ex-Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel will fight the Lok Sabha poll from Rajnandgaon. KC Venugopal will contest from Alappuzha in Kerala, Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram. Jyotsna Mahant will contest from from Korba, Tamradhwaj Sahu from Mahasamund. KC Venugopal said the list has 15 general category candidates while 24 are from the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities. Congress treasurer Ajay Maken said the list has a good mix of youth and experience. The announcement came a day after the Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC) finalised the names for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections after having a discussion on over 60 Lok Sabha seats from 11 states and union territories. The CEC meeting was chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Discussions were held on Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Sikkim, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Lakshwadeep. We are in election mode and on an aggressive path of campaigning with Rahul Gandhi undertaking the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra which is in Gujarat, Venugopal said. The Nyay Yatra will end on March 17 in Mumbai with a mammoth rally planned and Congress president Kharge is writing to all INDIA bloc partners to attend that rally, he said. Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi and Venugopal, as well as other senior leaders who are part of the CEC were present at the meeting. Congress promises to fill 30 lakh vacant govt posts, apprenticeships for youths if voted to power There is speculation that Rahul Gandhi may also contest from Amethi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Rae Bareli, a seat which was previously held by Sonia Gandhi. Both the seats are considered bastions of the Gandhi family and the local units of the Congress have demanded that the two scions of the Congress first family should contest from there. Rahul Gandhi, who was previously an MP from Amethi, lost the seat in 2019 but won from Wayanad in Kerala. Congress fields Geetha Shivarajkumar from Shimoga, renominates D K Suresh from Bangalore Rural DK Suresh (Bangalore Rural) and Kannada actor Shivarajkumar's wife Geetha Shivarajkumar (Shimoga) figure in the first list of seven candidates in Karnataka announced on Friday by the Congress for the coming Lok Sabha elections. A three-time MP, Suresh is the brother of Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar and is the sitting member from Bangalore Rural. He was the only Congress candidate to win in the 2019 general elections in the State. The other five candidates are: H R Algur (Bijapur), Anandswamy Gaddadevarmath (Haveri), S P Muddahanumegowda (Tumkur), Venkataramane Gowda (Mandya) and Shreyas M Patel (Hassan). The party naming Geetha Shivarajkumar for the Shivamogga seat seems to have set the stage for an interesting battle in the home district of BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa. Geetha, daughter of former Chief Minister late S Bangarappa, contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Shivamogga (Shimoga) on a Janata Dal (Secular) ticket and lost to Yediyurappa. The seat is currently held by Yediyurappa's son, BY Raghavedra. Geetha, sister of Karnataka Minister for School Education Madhu Bangarappa and daughter-in- law of Kannada thespian late Rajkumar, joined the Congress in April last year ahead of Assembly elections in Karnataka. Venkataramane Gowda, also known as Star Chandru, is a contractor by profession. The Mandya seat is represented by Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent backed by the BJP. The Congress had denied renomination to Muddahanumegowda in the 2019 elections to make way for Congress-JD(S) alliance candidate HD Deve Gowda who, however, lost the polls. Muddahanumegowda officially joined the BJP in 2022 but kept a low profile. He returned to the Congress fold only last month. Congress has named candidates in segments where there was no confusion over the nominee, a party leader said. The BJP-JD(S) combine is yet to come out with its list of candidates. Ten Karnataka BJP MPs may not get tickets for Lok Sabha polls The BJP had swept the 2019 general elections, bagging 25 of the total 28 seats in the state, while an independent (Sumalatha Ambareesh) backed by the party had also emerged victorious. The Congress and the JD(S), which were running a coalition government back then and fought the election together, had come a cropper winning just one seat each. But the political scene has changed significantly since then; the Congress scored a thumping victory in the Assembly elections in May last year and now appears battle-ready, determined to put up a strong show in the Lok Sabha polls. It is also a role reversal of sorts for JD(S) which joined the BJP-led NDA in September last year and wants to prove that it's still a force to reckon with, particularly in South Karnataka. Four from Telangana figure in Congress contestants list for LS polls Four candidates from Telangana including former Union Minister Balram Naik (Mahabubabad) figured in the first list of 39 Congress contesting candidates released by the AICC on Friday for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The grand old party will be fielding Suresh Kumar Shetkar (Zaheerabad), C Vamshi Chand Reddy (Mahabubnagar) and Raghuveer Kunduru (Nalgonda). Naik served as Union Minister of State between 2009 and 2013 under the UPA-II government. Shetkar was a Lok Sabha member from Zaheerabad from 2009 to 2014, while Reddy is a former MLA.