Karnataka bye-elections: Congress picks sons of leaders for key seats

Congress has nominated Umesh Meti for the Bagalkot seat and Samarth Mallikarjun for Davanagere South in the upcoming Karnataka bye-elections. Both candidates are sons of prominent Congress leaders. Polling is scheduled for April 9.

Congress on Sunday named Umesh Meti and Samarth Mallikarjun as the party's candidates for the bye-elections to Karnataka's Bagalkot and Davanagere South constituencies, respectively. Umesh Meti is the son of late Congress leader Meti Hullappa Yamanappa (HY Meti), who represented the Bagalkot seat, while Samarth Mallikarjun is the son of Karnataka Minister SS Mallikarjun.

Karnataka Bypoll Details

The Bagalkot seat fell vacant after the death of HY Meti and Davanagere South, following the death of Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Vacant assembly constituencies in Karnataka, along with Goa, Nagaland and Tripura, will hold polling on April 9, with the counting of votes on May 4.

On Saturday, Karnataka State in-charge and AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar held a meeting to discuss the Davangere bye-election, after which Samarth Mallikarjun's name was finalised. Ministers Mallikarjuna, Zameer Ahmed, Bairati Suresh, MP Naseer Hussain, Political Secretary Naseer Ahmed, MLAs Harris, Rizwan Harshad, State In-charge AICC Secretary Abhishek Dutt, and Gopinathan were also present in the meeting.

His father, SS Mallikarjun, collected the B form from the state party chief and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. Samarth Mallikarjun had filed his nomination for the bypoll on Friday, when he told reporters, "I am definitely confident because I'm here with all our Youth Congress workers, who are like my brothers, along with all Congress workers."

The Congress leaders will be up against BJP candidates Viranna Charantimath, contesting for the Bagalkot seat and Srinivas T. Dasakariyappa, for the Davanagere South constituency.

Nagaland Bypoll Candidate Announced

Earlier on Saturday, Congress announced T Chalukumba AO as the party candidate for the Koridang seat bye-election in Nagaland. "The Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the candidature of T Chalukumba AO as Congress party candidate for the ensuing bye-election to the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland from 28 Koridang-ST Constituency," the All India Congress Committee said in a statement.

The Koridang (ST) seat in Nagaland became vacant after the death of veteran BJP leader Imkong L Imchen. T Chalukumba AO, who contested the 2023 Nagaland Assembly elections on a Janata Dal (United) ticket, will be contesting the bye-election against the late BJP leader's son Daochier I Imchen.

Polling and Counting Schedule

The first phase of polling for bypolls in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland, and Tripura will be held on April 9, while the second phase in Gujarat and Maharashtra will take place on April 23. Counting of votes for all constituencies is scheduled for May 4. (ANI)

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