Date:24/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/24/stories/2008042450080100.htm

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Over 1,000 in the fray

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: More than 1,000 candidates have filed their nomination papers for 89 constituencies in 11 districts that are going to polls in the first phase of the Assembly elections on May 10.

Many prominent leaders, including the former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramiah, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting M.H. Ambareesh, the former Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Mamata Nichani, daughter of the former Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde, were among the 619 candidates who filed nominations on Wednesday, the last day for filing nominations for the first phase of elections. The district-wise break-up of the number of nominations filed on Wednesday is as follows: Tumkur (61); Kolar (70); Mysore (138); Hassan (33); Ramangara (63); Bangalore Urban (78); Bangalore Rural (31), Kodagu (19); Chickballapur (31); Mandya (56); Chamarajangar (39) and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (81). Scrutiny of nominations will be done on April 24 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 26.

Second phase

Fifty-two candidates filed their papers on Wednesday for the second phase of polling that will be held on May 16. Eight candidates each from Bellary and Koppal constituency, seven each from Chitradurga and Shimoga, six from Davangere, three from Uttara Kannada, one from Udupi, two from Chikmagalur and five each from Bellary and Dakshina Kannada districts filed their nominations.