Karnataka braces for results as counting of the high-voltage election commences at 8 am on May 13. With 224 assembly seats up for grabs, political parties have left no stone unturned in their efforts to woo voters.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking a second term on the basis of its development record, while the opposition Congress is pledging a corruption-free administration.
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Given the significant implications, the outcome of each constituency will play a pivotal role in determining the overall election result. Here is a rundown of the top candidates vying for victory in this high-stakes electoral contest:
Basavaraj Bommai from Shiggaon (BJP): The current chief minister, the senior leader of the BJP, and son of former Karnataka Chief Minister SR Bommai is running for re-election in the Shiggaon constituency against Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan. The 61-year-old Lingayat leader hails from North Karnataka and took office as the CM of Karnataka on July 27, 2021, following the resignation of BS Yediyurappa.
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Bommai has previously represented Shiggaon thrice since 2008. He started his political career with the Janata Dal (United) before leaving the party and joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2008.
Notably, he also served as the minister of water resources and cooperation in the Karnataka government.
D K Shivakumar from Kanakapura (Congress): Shivakumar, 60, is the incumbent MLA from Kanakapura and the state Congress president. His opponent in the upcoming election is R Ashoka, the current revenue minister of the BJP. Kanakapura was once a stronghold of the JD(S).
Shivakumar has been elected as a legislator seven times and has held significant ministerial positions in Congress-led state governments. During the JD(S)-Congress government, which collapsed in 2019, he served as the Minister of Irrigation. The constituency has elected him in the last three Karnataka assembly elections in 2008, 2013 and 2018
Moreover, Shivakumar is a skilled strategist and is known as the Congress’ troubleshooter in times of crisis. He is recognised for playing a vital role in the formation of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka after the 2018 elections.
Siddaramaiah from Varuna (Congress): The former chief minister, is contesting what may be his last election from the Varuna constituency, where his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah was elected in the previous assembly polls in 2018. Aged 75, he is facing off against V Somanna, the BJP's housing minister.
Previously, Siddaramaiah had contested from the Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru district, where he had won as an MLA five times but had lost twice.
He started his political career in 1983 by winning from Chamundeshwari on a Lok Dal party ticket and then joined the Janata Party, which merged with other parties to become the Janata Dal in 1988.
After the Janata Dal split into two factions, he joined the Janata Dal (Secular), headed by Deve Gowda and became the president of the party's state unit. However, he was expelled from the party in 2005, when Deve Gowda's son HD Kumaraswamy was gaining prominence.
Siddaramaiah then joined the Congress in 2006 with his supporters.
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HD Kumaraswamy from Channapatna (JDS): The son of former Prime Minister and JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda, is vying for the Channapatna seat in the assembly elections. The contest in this constituency is expected to be fierce, as he is up against BJP's CP Yogeshwara. The constituency has a total of 2,17,606 voters, with Muslims comprising 42.96 percent and Hindus comprising 55.66 percent of the voters.
Kumaraswamy's political career began with his successful election to the Lok Sabha from Bangalore Rural in 1996. However, he was unsuccessful in his bid for the Lok Sabha seat from Kanakapura in 1998. In 2004, he contested for the Legislative Assembly from Ramnagar and won, becoming an MLA for the first time. He also served as the chief minister of Karnataka from 2006 to 2007, after forming an alliance with the BJP without his father's approval.
In the 2018 assembly elections, he was the chief ministerial candidate for the JD(S) and formed a coalition government with the Congress party. However, he resigned after 14 months following a revolt by his own party MLAs.
BY Vijayendra from Shikaripura (BJP): The son of former chief minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa, is contesting from Shikaripura, a constituency that has been represented by his father eight times in the Karnataka Assembly. Vijayendra, who is also the BJP's state vice-president, is contesting against Congress candidate Goni Malatesh and Janata Dal (S) candidate Sudhakar Shetty.
In July 2020, Vijayendra was appointed as the BJP vice-president. He had earlier been named the BJP youth wing general secretary, but was denied a party ticket to contest from Varuna in Mysuru district at the last minute before the May 2018 Assembly polls.
Vijayendra's role in securing BJP's victory in the K R Pet and Sira Assembly segments has earned him credit and increased his standing within the party.
CT Ravi from Chikmagalur (BJP): one of the prominent faces of the BJP in Karnataka, CT Ravi, rose through the ranks to become the national general secretary.
He is a four-time MLA from the Chikmagalur assembly constituency and is contesting from his bastion in the 2023 Karnataka election. CT Ravi is known for his aggressive style of politics and has a strong support base in the coastal districts of Karnataka.
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