Karnataka polls: DK Suresh, Ayanur Manjunath file nominations on last day among 279 others

Congress MP DK Suresh, former BJP MLC Ayanur Manjunath, Congress MLA Krishna Byre Gowda and former JD(S) MLA SR Srinivas were among the 279 candidates who filed their nominations on Thursday for the May 10 assembly polls in Karnataka. Thursday was the last day of filing.

In a surprise move, DK Suresh, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar’s brother filed his nomination from the same seat three days after Shivakumar did. It was a precautionary measure, the Congress party said, in case the Election Commission rejected Chief ministerial aspirant Shivakumar’s nomination.

Senior Lingayat leader Ayur Manjunath is contesting the polls from the Shivamogga seat as a JD(S) candidate, after the BJP denied him a ticket. The constituency is currently held by BJP MLA KS Eshwarappa, who announced his retirement from electoral politics right before the BJP’s first list was released. The BJP is fielding a new face, SN Channabasappa from the seat.


The JD(S) is fielding HP Swaroop from the Hassan constituency in the place of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s daughter-in-law Bhavani Revanna. The ex-PM had to step in to resolve a conflict in the party over the seat, as party leader HD Kumaraswamy wanted the seat to go to a party worker instead of his sister-in-law.

Congress MLA Krishna Byre Gowda, will be contesting from Byatarayanapura in Bengaluru. Former JD(S) MLA SR Srinivas, who left the party on March 31, will be contesting from the Gubbi assembly seat as a Congress candidate.