"All in the family" - brothers, father-son spice up poll scene

BANGALORE: "All in the family" - sounds familiar if one looks at candidates of the May five Assembly elections in Karnataka - brothers, children of prominent politicians, relatives and even father-son.

Take for example, senior Congress leader and former Union Railway Minister Jaffer Sharief. His son-in-law, Syed Yasin, is seeking re-election from Raichur.

That, he is being challenged by Kannada cinema celebrity, Pooja Gandhi, contesting on the ticket of BSR Congress, floated by former BJP Minister B Sriramulu is a different story.

Sharief has managed to get ticket for his grand-son, Abul Rahman Sharief, a political novice, in Hebbal segment of the city, much to the heart-burn of strong contender there, H M Revanna, a former minister

In Soraba in Shimoga district, sons of former Chief Minister late S Bangarappa - Madhu (JDS) and Kumar (Congress), who are bitter political rivals, are crossing swords again.

The father-son duo of M Krishnappa and Priya Krishna, the sitting MLAs, have entered the fray from neighouring segments of Vijayanagara and Govindrajnagar in the city.

Union Labour and Employment Minister M Mallikarjuna Kharge has succeeded in getting ticket for his son, Priyank, from Chittapur, as also former Chief Minister N Dharam Singh (Congress) for his son Ajay Singh from Jewargi.

The Congress has also given tickets to Jarkiholi brothers - Satish and Ramesh - to contest from Yemkanmardi and Gokak, respectively, while their another brother Balachandra, who is Minister for Municipal Administration, has sought reelection on BJP ticket from Arabhavi.