16 candidates file nominations for LS polls in K'taka on 2nd day

Bengaluru: Sumalatha Ambareesh, wife of late actor-politician Ambareesh, is among 16 candidates who filed their nominations in Karnataka Wednesday for the Lok Sabha polls.

A total of 17 nominations have been received from 16 candidates on Wednesday, poll officials said, adding that cumulative nominations received stands at 28 from 22 candidates.

Nominations filed were two each from Tumkur, Mandya, Bangalore North, Bangalore central, three each from Bangalore Rural and Mysore, and one each from Bangalore south and Chikkaballapur.

With all the three major political parties, the BJP, Congress and JD(S), yet to announce their list of candidates, those who filed nominations on Wednesday were mainly independents and from smaller parties.

Sumalatha filed her nomination as independent candidate from Mandya, where she is likely to take on Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy as Congress-JD(S) coalition’s candidate.

Sumalatha, a popular south Indian actress,visited the Chamundeshwari temple in Mysuru, ahead of filing nomination.

After filing the nomination, she travelled to a venue where a public meeting was organised in a procession in an openvehicle.

A large number of people, mainly Ambareesh’s fans, irrespective of their partyassociation, joined the procession.

She was accompanied by her actor son Abishek and personalities of Kannada film industry, including actors Darshan and Yash.

Some people, allegedly Congress workers, took part inthe procession with party flag, despite the grand old partydenying Sumalatha ticket and lending its support to alliance partner JD(S)’ candidate Nikhil.

Addressing the gathering, Sumalatha, declaring that she was daughter-in-law of Mandya, sought support to carry forward her late husband’s legacy andassociation with the people there.

She vowed to be the voice of the people of Mandya in Parliament.

Karnataka will go to the polls in two phases, 14 constituencies each, on April 18 and 23.

While the last date for the filing of nominations forthe first phase of Lok Sabha polls is on March 26, scrutiny will take place on March 27, last date for withdrawal is March29.

For the second phase polls on April 23, notification will be issued on March 28.

The last date for nomination is April 4, scrutiny on April 5 and the last day for withdrawalis April 8.

Counting of votes and announcement of results for both phases is scheduled for May 23.

In the 2014 general election, the BJP had bagged 17, Congress 9 and JD(S) two seats.

However in the bypolls, the BJP had yielded the Bellary seat to Congress.

The Congress-JD(S) ruling coalition that has decided to fight the polls in alliance will contest 20 and 8 seats respectively.