Accompanied By BJP Chief, Karnataka Chief Minister Files Nomination For Polls

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday filed his nomination for the May 10 Assembly polls from his traditional seat of Shiggaon in this district amid fanfare.

He was accompanied by BJP national president JP Nadda and Kannada film star Sudeep, as he filed his papers before the election returning officer.

Mr Bommai is seeking re-election from Shiggaon, from where he has been an MLA three times since 2008.

Earlier, he visited temples, and also held a massive road show along with Nadda and Sudeep in Shiggaon.

Hundreds of people gathered as Mr Bommai, Mr Nadda and Mr Sudeep travelled through the streets in a specially-designed vehicle, after garlanding the statue of Kittur Rani Chennamma, who in 1824 led an armed resistance against the British East India Company.

They later addressed a public meeting, seeking votes for Mr Bommai and the BJP.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Nadda said the nomination which Bommai was filing today was not just for the MLA's post, "but it is a way that will give direction for Karnataka to move ahead".

"Looking at your enthusiasm I'm sure that you have decided to send Mr Bommai here to the Assembly for the next five years. I have not come here just to ask for Bommai from you, but have come to seek vote from you on the lotus symbol so that the 'Ganga' of continuous development keeps flowing in Karnataka," he said.

He all hit out at the Congress accusing it of being corrupt, and warned that it would use Karnataka as its ATM on coming to power, and would also will withdraw the ban on the Islamic political organisation Popular Front of India, which would increase communal and violent activities.

In his speech, Sudeep, seeking support for his "Bommai Mama", as he affectionately calls him, appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I have come here for our Chief Minister. My loving Bommai Mama is a person who has done a lot of good work in a very short span. He is apt for what they say in Hindi -- not for 'naam ke vaaste, but for kaam ke vaaste'. He should get more time and opportunity to work. He is not alone now, I have also come on his behalf," he said.

"As an Indian, I appreciate a lot of work done by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. If we go to foreign countries people speak proudly about India," he said.

The 63-year-old CM, who is the son of former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Parivar veteran late S R Bommai, had already filed one set of nominations during an "auspicious muhurat" on April 15.

Congress has fielded Mohammed Yousuf Savanur, president of the Anjuman-e-Islam in Hubballi-Dharwad, to take on the CM.

During the public meeting, Mr Bommai thanked the people of Shiggaon for their support and said he was indebted to their love and trust, and would continue to serve them till his last breath.

Listing out the various developmental works done by him in the segment, he said, "There were a lot of speculations that the CM will change his constituency and contest from another seat. I'm not the CM who runs away. Whatever it is, my people should decide about me because you are my 'malik' (owners)." "I have served mother Karnataka honestly... You (people) are the ones who nurtured me and will save me, I will serve you till my last breath. When I die, I should be buried in Shiggaon soil," he added.

Mr Bommai won in Shiggaon in the 2018 Assembly polls by 9,260 votes.

He started his political career with the Janata Dal and was a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council twice (in 1998 and 2004) from Dharwad local authorities constituency. He had also served as Parliament Secretary to the Chief Minister and as Deputy Leader of Opposition.

Mr Bommai quit the Janata Dal (United) and joined the BJP in 2008 and, in the Assembly elections held later that year, got elected as MLA from Shiggaon.

He then went on to retain the seat in the 2013 and 2018 Assembly polls.

Mr Bommai, who served as Home Minister in the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government, became the Chief Minister in 2021 after the veteran leader stepped down from the post.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)