Karnataka Election 2023 highlights: Amit Shah to visit Karnataka tomorrow

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday dismissed Congress leader DK Shivakumar plea challenging the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government's decision seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the disproportionate assets case against him.

Hearing the arguments of both sides, the single-judge bench led by Justice Natarajan dismissed the petition.

After the exit of three senior Lingayat leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that the incumbent BJP Government had rendered justice to all the communities including Lingayats.

He said, "BJP Government has rendered justice to all the communities including Lingayat and ensured recognition to all of them. Congress government tried to break the Lingayat religion."

DK Shivakumar's brother, DK Suresh has filed his nomination from the Kanakapura constituency on Thursday. He said, "I'm a voter from Kanakapura, and I should be contesting from there. That is the direction from our party president and AICC leaders. We are hearing about certain conspiracies, so as a precautionary measure I have filed my nomination."

The Election Commission has seized over 40 kilograms of gold and more than 20 kg silver with a combined worth of ₹23.51 crore in Tarikere Assembly constituency in Chikkamagaluru district ahead of elections in Karnataka. (PTI)

Union minister Pralhad Joshi came in the support of BJP national president JP Nadda's comments on PM Modi. He told that PM Modi is a god to the people of Karnataka. 

He said, “We aren't saying that the PM Modi is a god but people of Karnataka are saying. The Congress will get a befitting reply from the people in his assembly elections.” 

JD(S) leader and former CM HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday exuded confidence in the party's Hassan candidate H P Swaroop, who was fielded instead of party patriarch and ex-PM HD Deve Gowda’s daughter-in-law Bhavani Revanna.

“Our candidate will file for nomination. Voters from Hassan have clearly given the message that Hassan candidate from JD(S) will win the election. People will bless Swaroopa. Last time because of a small mistake in our organisation, we lost the election. We will win the election with a majority,” he told news agency ANI.

Union home minister Amit Shah is all set to arrive in poll-bound Karnataka tomorrow to hold road shows in Davanagere and Devanahalli. He will also attend party meetings on April 22 in Bengaluru, several reports said.

Shah is one of the BJP's star campaigners for the Karnataka assembly polls.

The brother of KPCC president DK Shivakumar, DK Suresh has filed his nomination papers from the Kanakapura constituency, where his brother is contesting on a Congress ticket. DK Shivakumar told that his brother filed the nomination as  a precautionary measure. (ANI) 

After Congress denied Mangaluru North's ticket to former MLA Mohiuddin Bava, he met former PM Devegowda and announced that he will be joining in the JD(S). He will also be contesting on  a JD(S) ticket this from Mangaluru(North). 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi would campaign in about 20 places in poll-bound Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Thursday. 

Bommai said, “There is all possibility of the Prime Minister campaigning in about 20 places. In most places, he will address rally-meeting and in some, there will be road-shows.” 

Union home minister Amit Shah will visit Karnataka on Friday, ahead of the assembly elections in the state. Shah will also hold road shows at Davangere and Devanahalli in his two-day visit to the poll bound state. He is also expected to meet several BJP leaders in the state during his visit. 

Amid talks of an internal conflict among former minister KS Eshwarappa and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the party denied him a ticket in the upcoming assembly polls, the former clarified that his anger will be directed towards those who quit the BJP to join rivals. 

“I am not angry with BJP... those who have left BJP have to be brought back. We've to bring them back to BJP who are angry with our party and joined Congress. BJP will win and form government with an absolute majority,” the BJP leader told news agency ANI.

Deepak Khatri, the national coordinator for Congress' social media and digital platforms, shared a video of the party's candidate from Gubbi assembly constituency, SR Srinivas' nomination rally, which showed huge crowds.

People were seen showering Srinivas with flowers.

Police on Wednesday seized unaccounted cash totalling ₹1.54 crore from a car in poll-bound Karnataka's Belagavi district.

"Following a credible input, a car was intercepted and ₹1.54 crore was seized. A case is being registered and the IT department has been informed," a police officer said.

(PTI)

Senior leader and Lingayat strongman BS Yediyurappa's son BY Vijayendra, former Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao and ex-CM Jagadish Shettar filed their nominations ahead of the last day.

BY Vijayendra and Bhaskar Rao will be fighting on BJP tickets, from Shikaripura and Chamarajpet, respectively, while Shettar, who quit the BJP and joined the Congress last week, will contest from the Hubli-Dharwad-Central Assembly constituency. 

Several senior leaders including chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and Congress stalwart Siddaramaiah filed their nomination papers for the Karnataka assembly polls on Wednesday. 

CM Bommai filed his nomination from his traditional seat, Shiggaon, in Haveri district after holding a roadshow along with party national president JP Nadda and Kannada film actor Kiccha Sudeep. Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah filed his nomination from Varuna, reiterating that this would be his last election.