NDA candidate Vivekananda files his papers for South Teachers constituency

Mysuru, NT Bureau: The NDA candidate for the South Techers constituency for the Council polls K. Vivekananda on Thursday filed his papers with Mysuru Regional Commissioner Prakash, who is also the returning officer for this poll.

He was accompanied by former CM HD Kumaraswamy, opposition leader R Ashoka, Shivamogga BJP MP BY Raghavendra, former minister S R Mahesh, BJP leader Yaduveer Wadiyar.

JD(S) MLA G T Devegowda, BJP MLA T S Srivatsa, Channarayapatna JD(S) MLA C N Balakrishna and others. Election to six Legislative Council seats (three each from graduates and teachers constituencies) including South Teachers constituency comprising the districts of Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Hassan will be held on June 3 between 8 am and 4 pm.

The counting of votes will be taken up on June 6. Thursday is the last date for filing nominations for all six seats. Former MLC Marithibbe Gowda is the Congress party candidate for the South Teachers constituency.

The NDA candidate for the South West Graduates segment, Shivamoggabased Dr Dhananjay Sarji also filed his nomination papers.

Ayanur Manjunath filed his papers as a Congress candidate for the same seat in the presence of Minister Madhu Bangarappa, Congress leader Tanveer Sait and Honnali Congress MLA D G Shanthangowda.

K K Manjunathan entered the fray as the Congress candidate for South West Teachers constituency. Earlier, high drama was witnessed at Alamma Chatra in Mysuru on Thursday when former ministers S R Mahesh and C S Puttaraju were heckled by supporters of former MLC K T Srikantegowda.

The former MLC who was denied a ticket by the JD(S), announced that he will contest as a rebel JD(S) candidate. Srikantegowda was injured in the incident and was admitted to hospital with a reported fracture on his right hand.

He did not file his papers. Meanwhile, state BJP leader R Ashoka convinced BJP candidate E C Ningrajagowda who filed his papers as a BJP candidate without a B Form on Wednesday from South Teachers constituency, to withdraw his papers and support NDA candidate Vivekananda.