Former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa's son is among those contesting the byelections
Karnataka is gearing up for by-elections in three assembly constituencies with sons and proteges looking to retain seats for their parties in the state assembly.
Among those standing for elections is the son of former Chief Minister and BJP vice-president BS Yeddyurappa.
Shikaripura, in Shimoga district, which was represented by Mr BS Yeddyurappa will see the BJP leader's son, BY Raghavendra, standing for the BJP.
At a public meeting, Mr Yeddyurappa took on the chief minister and said, "Siddaramaiah is asking what Yeddyurappa has done for farmers in Shikaripura. This question that Siddaramaiah is asking - didn't we twice waive loans of Rs.25,000? You were finance minister 7 times - did you do that even once?"
Upset at being asked to step down from the chief minister's post following corruption allegations against him, Mr Yeddyurappa had left the party and formed his own Karnataka Janata Party.
After a poor showing in the assembly elections, he went back into the BJP fold and was recently elevated to the post of party vice-president after he was reportedly miffed at not having been given a cabinet post.
Mr Raghavendra is a former member of parliament and represented Shimoga in the last parliament.
The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) have come to an understanding here with the aim of defeating the BJP - and there is no JD (S) candidate with the Congress's Shanthaveerappa Gowda taking on Mr Raghavendra.
While the Congress had easily formed the government in the state after Assembly elections in 2013, it could only send 9 members to the parliament out of the total 28 seats earlier this year. Congress's performance though was relatively much better than its poor showing elsewhere in the country.
Of the three seats going to the polls, two were held by the BJP and one by the Congress.
Bellary Rural, in Bellary district, was also represented by a controversial candidate - B Sriramulu - a close aide of jailed mining baron and former minister, Janardhan Reddy. Sushma Swaraj, a former mentor, had publicly opposed the re-entry of Sriramulu to the BJP. But he was taken back, given his vote-catching abilities in the reserved constituency - and did deliver the seat to add to the numbers of BJP MPs.
"The Congress government has finished 14 months, but what have you done for the people of Bellary - you need to make that clear," said Mr Sriramulu at a rally during his election campaign.
For the BJP, Oblesh, a close associate of Mr. Srimulu, will take on NY Gopalakrishna of the Congress.
While in Chikkodi in Belgaum district, another son will try and retain his father's seat. Former Congress MLA, Prakash Hukkeri, who represented the area, was elected to the parliament. His son, Ganesh Prakash Hukkeri, is now contesting on the party ticket in this Congress stronghold against Mahantesh Kavatagimath of the BJP.