Congress issues first list of 124 candidates for Karnataka elections: DKS to contest from Kanakpura, Siddaramaiah from Varuna

The Congress on Saturday announced its first list of 124 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka with Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah contesting the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls from Varuna constituency. This ends speculations on Siddaramaiah's seat conundrum.

On Friday, Siddaramaiah had said he would contest from Varuna, while also evincing interest to contest from two seats. The Congress is likely to consider this in the next list.

As a result, his son Yatindra, the sitting MLA from Varuna has not been given a ticket this time.

Pradesh Congress Committee chief DK Shivakumar will contest the elections from his Kanakapura assembly constituency, according to the list.

Read | Winning Karnataka will be the best reply to BJP, says Priyanka amid Rahul's disqualification

Amid protests from a section of local Congress leaders against former MP KH Muniyappa's canddiature, the party has given him a ticket from Devanahalli constituency. This will be the first time ever that the seven-time MP will be contesting for Assembly elections. In 2019, Muniyappa had lost the Lok Sabha elections from Kolar. His daughter, M Roopakala, a sitting MLA from KGF has also been given ticket for the same constituency.

Priyank Kharge will contest from Chitapur (SC). He is the son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

The party's central election committee cleared the first list of candidates after a meeting in Delhi on March 17. The committee is chaired by Congress chief Kharge. Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting.

Following the recent demise of Congress working president Dhruvanarayan, his son Darshan Dhruvanarayan has been fielded from Nanjangud. It's believed that Dhruvanarayan had asked for Nanjangud ticket.

The party has fielded former MLC BJP Puttanna who recently joined Congress, from Rajajinagar.

Tanveer Sait, who had earlier said he would not contest elections this time, will be contesting from Narasimharaja constituency.

The Election Commission is yet to announce the schedule for assembly polls in the southern state. Assembly polls in Karnataka are slated before May when the tenure of the current assembly ends.