Congress releases list of 8 candidates for Karnataka by-elections

Congress has released a list of eight candidates on Thursday, October 31, for upcoming by-polls in Karnataka which will be held on December 5. candidates who will be contesting by-polls are Bhimmanna Naik contesting from Yellapur, BH Bannikod from Hirekerur, KB Koliw from Rannebennur, M Anjanappa from Chikkaballapur, M Narayanswamy from KR Pura, M Shivaraj from Mahalakshmi Layout, Pmavathi Suresh from Hoskote and HP Manjunath from Hunsur.  

"Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi approved proposal for candidature of following persons as party candidates for ensuing by-elections to Legislative Assembly of Karnataka," party general secretary Mukul Wasnik said in a statement.

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By-polls shifted from October 21 to December 5

Earlier,  by-polls in Karnataka were scheduled to be held on October 21 in 15 constituencies that were vacated by rebel MLAs of Congress and Janata Dal-Secular [JD(S)]. However, election date was later shifted to December 5 by Election Commission (EC). Counting of votes will take place on December 9. 

EC h informed Supreme Court in September that it will defer  by-polls in 15 assembly seats in Karnataka as hearing of petitions challenging disqualification of rebel lawmakers remains pending in court.

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15 seats were vacated after disqualification of rebel Congress- JD(S) MLAs following ir resignation from ir respective parties. n Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar h disqualified 17 MLAs - 13 belonging to Congress, three from JDS, and one Independent, which eventually led to fall of Congress-JD(S) coalition government heed by n chief minister HD Kumaraswamy in July. 

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15 assembly constituencies which will go to polls are Athani, Kagw, Gokak, Yellapur, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapur, K R Pura, Yeshvanthapura, Mahalakshmi, Shivajinagar, Hosakote, Krishnarajpet, and Hunsur. Polling will be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm on December 5, EC h said.

(With ANI inputs)

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