BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah , state Janata Dal (Secular) chief H D Kumaraswamy, his sibling H D Revanna and home minister Ramalinga Reddy submitted their nominations for the May 12 Assembly elections on Friday.
Official sources said Mr Siddaramaiah's son Yatindra, set to make his electoral debut from Varuna -- represented by his father since 2008 -- and JD(S) MLA G T Deve Gowda, who will take on the Chief Minister in Chamundeshwari, also filed their papers.
The Chief Minister filed his nomination even as speculation is rife about him choosing Badami in Bagalkote district in north Karnataka as a second constituency, considered 'safer' than Chamundeshwari.
Mr Siddaramaiah said in Mysuru that he would take a final call tomorrow on contesting from Badami after discussing the issue with Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He said he was under pressure from Congress leaders from Bagalkote and Bijapur districts to contest from Badami. On Friday, the Chief Minister along with his son visited the Siddarameshwara temple at his native village of Siddaramanahundi, and the famous Chamundeshwari temple on Chamundi Hills in Mysuru.
Mr Siddaramaiah has won five times and tasted defeat twice in Chamundeshwari, from where he has been announced as the candidate by the Congress high command.
He has been representing Varuna constituency in Mysuru since 2008, which has now been allotted to his son Yatindra.
Mr Kumaraswamy, a former chief minister, filed his nominations from Ramanagara and Channapatna constituencies. He was accompanied by his wife Anitha and supporters. Presently representing Ramanagara, Mr Kumaraswamy is looking for retaining the constituency. His wife had lost in Channapatna in 2013.
Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda's older son and Kumaraswamy's brother H D Revanna too filed his nomination from Holenarsipura in Hassan district, the party's bastion. Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy from Bengaluru's BTM layout and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suresh Kumar from Rajaji Nagar also filed their nominations.
According to state electoral authorities, a total of 776 nominations have been filed so far since the process began on April 17.
