The Hindu : Karnataka News : Battlelines drawn for bypoll in Shimoga, Chamarajpet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 20, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Battlelines drawn for bypoll in Shimoga, Chamarajpet

Special Correspondent

Seven in fray for Lok Sabha seat, 16 for Assembly

BANGALORE: The battlelines have been drawn for the June 2 byelections for the Shimoga Lok Sabha and the Chamarajpet Assembly constituencies.

With the last date for the withdrawal of nominations expiring on Thursday, there are seven candidates in Shimoga and 16 in Chamarajpet.

Those contesting the Shimoga parliamentary elections are S. Bangarappa (Samajwadi Party), Ayanur Manjunath (Congress), M.S. Bhanu Prakash (Bharatiya Janata Party), L.T. Thimmappa Hegde (Janata Dal-Secular), Shivalingaswamy (Janata Party), Sathyanarayana (Janata Dal-United) and Bhadre Shivappa (Independent).

Five independents withdrew their nominations from the Chamarajpet Assembly election leaving the field for 16. The independents to withdraw are Daivasagayam, K.V. Ramachandran, K. Shivaramanna, R. Muniraj and Syed Jaleel.

The candidates in the fray include R.V. Devaraj (Congress), Pramila Nesargi (BJP) and Zameer Ahmed (JD-S).

The BJP candidate Ms.Pramila Nesargi, who had represented the constituency twice in the Assembly, has alleged that the Congress-run Bangalore Mahanagarapalike has been undertaking development works clandestinely in the constituency to help the party candidate, Mr. Devaraj. Asphalting of roads is being undertaken in the night, she has said.

The Returning Officer for the constituency Manu Baligar told presspersons on Thursday that he is ready to order an inquiry if Ms. Nesargi were to submit a complaint in writing to him. About the BJP member of the Lok Sabha from Bangalore South and national General Secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar's demand for deploying additional security personnel at the polling booths, Mr. Baligar said that he has instructed the senior police officials to provide tight security to 32 sensitive and 24 hypersensitive booths.

About Mr. Ananth Kumar's allegation that the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) have planned to use anti-social elements to browbeat voters, Mr. Baligar said that all arrangements had been made to ensure a free and fair poll. With the first stage of the election process complete, the campaign will start from Friday in Chamarajpet.

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