Kin of Yediyurappa among candidates in JD(S) third list
The Hindu
A day after releasing its second list of 50 candidates, the Janata Dal (Secular) on Saturday released another list of six. Among those who got the party ticket were N.R. Santhosh, a relative of the former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, from Arsikere, the former BJP legislator Bharathi Shankar from Varuna, and the former Minister and BJP leader A.B. Maalakaraddy from Yadgir.
A day after releasing its second list of 50 candidates, the Janata Dal (Secular) on Saturday released another list of six. Among those who got the party ticket were N.R. Santhosh, a relative of the former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, from Arsikere, the former BJP legislator Bharathi Shankar from Varuna, and the former Minister and BJP leader A.B. Maalakaraddy from Yadgir.
All the three were denied the ticket by the BJP. Mr. Santhosh, a close relative of Mr. Yediyurappa, was also the key figure in ‘Operation Lotus’ in 2019 where he figured prominently in shifting rebel legislators from the Congress and the JD(S) to a Mumbai hotel. He had been hopeful of the BJP ticket from Arsikeere, but was denied.
While the party had earlier announced Banavara Ashok as its candidate, replacing incumbent legislator K.M. Shivalinge Gowda, now Mr. Ashok has been replaced by Mr. Santhosh. On Saturday, the former Prime Minister and party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda intervened in the matter, and brought about a compromise between Mr. Santhoh and Mr. Ashok at his residence, paving the way for the party to announce the name of the former.
Dr. Maalakaraddy had also been seeking the ticket for his daughter in the Congress this time even as he sought the BJP ticket. He has been named from Yadgir. Dr. Bharathi Shankar was elected as the BJP MLA in T. Narsipur (SC) constituency in 1999. He will take on the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Congress candidate, and Housing Minister V. Somanna, the BJP nominee. Dr. Bharathi Shankar replaces Abhishek, who had been earlier named by the JD(S).
The others named include two-time Congress MLC Raghu Achar, who joined the JD(S) on Friday. He has been named for the Chitradurga seat. The former Congress leader Devaraj Patil has been named as the JD(S) candidate for Bagalkot.
The former Prime Minister released the party’s 12 poll promises on Friday at his residence in Padmanabhanagar here in the presence of JD(S) State president C.M. Ibrahim and former Chief Ministe H.D. Kumaraswmay .
The promises include Matrushree and women empowerment programmes, including waiver of loans of women self-help groups and five free cylinders a year, and enhancement of widow pension. It also announced Raitha Chaitanya, Vikalachetanara Asare, and an increase in the incentive for lawyers. It also made a slew of promises on education and health and for police personnel, religious minorities, the Scheduled Castes, and youth empowerment.