NEW DELHI: The Congress party on Wednesday released its fifth list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections and fielded Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the high-decibel Shiggaon constituency battle. The main opposition party had earlier named Mohammed Yousuf Savanur for the seat. Besides, the party also fielded Dr BC Muddugangadhar as its candidate from the Mulbagal (SC) seat, DK Mohan from KR Pura and AC Srinivasa from the Pulakeshinagar assembly constituency.


Check the Fifth List Released By Congress Here


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Congress released its fourth list of seven candidates for the Karnataka assembly elections on Tuesday and fielded former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who recently quit the BJP to join it, from his traditional Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency. The party also fielded Mohammed Yousuf Savanur from the Shiggaon assembly seat, from where Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is the BJP candidate. Bommai represents the Shiggaon constituency in the outgoing assembly.


Congress Releases Star Campaigners' List


 


Congress heavyweights including national president Mallikarjun Kharge, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, state chief D K Shivakumar, LoP Siddaramaiah, Shashi Tharoor, former BJP leader and deputy chief minister Jagadish Shettar are among those who have been named in the party’s list of 40-star campaigners for the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka.


The grand old party on Wednesday unveiled a list of 40-star campaigners for the Karnataka Assembly elections. Among the other prominent names in the party`s list of campaigners are Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, general secretary in-charge, Communication, Jairam Ramesh, Bengaluru Rural MP DK Suresh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, and former Maharastra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. 


Gehlot In, Pilot Out 


 


While Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is also among the list of 40-star campaigners for the upcoming election, Sachin Pilot - another influential Rajasthan Congress leader - has not been included in the list. Sachil Pilot had last week staged a protest against his own government in the state, alleging that the Ashok Gehlot-led government failed to investigate corruption cases during the BJP regime in Rajasthan. The infighting in the party has again become a major concern for the Congress as the state will witness the crucial assembly polls this year. Pilot, the former Deputy CM of Rajasthan, is at loggerheads with Gehlot ever since the government came to power in 2018.


Siddaramaiah Files Nomination, Plays 'Last Election' Card



 
Earlier on Wednesday, senior Congress leader and former CM Siddaramaiah filed his nomination for the state polls. Speaking to reporters after officially entering the fray, he said the Congress was a secular party and won`t seek votes on the basis of caste. Siddaramaiah filed his nomination from the Varuna Assembly constituency.


"Congress is a secular party. We are not seeking votes on the basis of caste. We are hopeful of garnering votes from across communities, including Linagayts, Vokkaligas and others," Siddaramaiah told reporters.


Siddaramaiah, who is the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Assembly, said the upcoming state elections will be his last electoral battle as he will retire from politics after. "I am contesting from Varuna constituency as my native village falls within the precincts of this Assembly segment. This is going to be my last election. Thereafter, I will retire from electoral politics," Siddaramaiah told ANI earlier.


The Congress leader added that while he will still be in active politics post the Karnataka polls, he won`t accept any party posts that would require him to shift base to Delhi. 


The last date for filing nominations is April 20. The process of nominations has picked up momentum in Karnataka, with senior leaders from all the key electoral players in the southern state filing their papers. The Assembly polls will be held on May 10 and the results will be announced on May 13. The Congress is seeking to oust the BJP from power in the southern state, while JD(S) stands as a tough challenger.