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Record 50 candidates enter race in Channapatna bypoll
Out of Karnataka’s three bypolls, Channapatna’s race has emerged as a particularly intense contest, which analysts say has attracted additional nominations
The Channapatna assembly bypoll has drawn an unprecedented number of candidates, with officials saying that at least 50 candidates filing nomination papers.
Channapatna tahsildar and election officer B Narasimha Murthy said that candidates have until 10.30 am on October 30. “We expect several candidates to retract their papers,” he told HT.
The field includes a diverse range of contestants, with only about 30% from the local constituency, while others have come from regions such as Chamarajanagar, Chikmagalur, Maddur, Hassan, and Bengaluru. Seven candidates represent various political parties, including the Prajakiya Party, while the remaining are independents.
Out of Karnataka’s three bypolls, Channapatna’s race has emerged as a particularly intense contest, which analysts say has attracted additional nominations. According to an official, 50 candidates have filed their nominations till October 25.
According to a Janata Dal (Secular) party worker, motivations vary, as some candidates reportedly enter the race for symbolic reasons, such as seeing their names on the ballot or serving as “dummy” candidates to support prominent contenders and share in campaign expenses. There are also reports that some independent candidates filed nominations with the intent to later negotiate a withdrawal, potentially receiving between ₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh, the worker said.
“With such an influx of candidates, ballot design has been adjusted to fit the expanded list, allowing 15 candidates per ballot unit. This setup could potentially lead to voter confusion and vote dispersion, pushing serious candidates to negotiate with independents to withdraw,” said an official in the know of the development.
A surprising twist emerged when senior BJP leader Bandi Ranganath Vair, a Tumkur resident, filed a nomination as a BJP candidate on the final nomination day, despite Nikhil Kumaraswamy running from the BJP-JD(S) alliance. However, Vair did not submit the required ‘B’ form, which confirms official party endorsement. The deadline for submitting this form is on Monday.
The affidavits submitted by candidates have gained traction online. Shahbaz Ulla Khan of the Young Star Empowerment Party stands out with over 5,000 downloads of his affidavit, in contrast to major players like CP Yogeshwar and Nikhil Kumaraswamy, whose affidavits garnered fewer than 500 downloads, despite being filed days earlier. The process also involves assigning non-party symbols to independent candidates, with 900 options available.
If more symbols are required, items like fans, buckets, and chairs may be allocated; however, items that resemble these symbols will be restricted from polling areas on election day to prevent confusion. “The number of candidates doesn’t affect the party candidate’s victory,” stated Ramanagara DCC president S Gangadhar, adding that he expects several candidates to withdraw. Meanwhile, BJP state media wing coordinator Karunakar expressed confidence in Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s chances, saying, “We are confident that Nikhil Kumaraswamy will win the election.”
