A total of 241 candidates are in the fray in the State’s 14 Lok Sabha constituencies that will go to polls in the first phase on April 18. Of them, 133 are Independents. A total of 33 candidates withdrew their nomination papers on the last day on Friday, according to details provided by the Election Commission on Saturday.
Lok Sabha polls are being held here in two phases, 14 constituencies each, on April 18 and 23.
At 31, Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituency has the maximum candidates while Hassan has the least at six. Prominent among those in the race in the first phase include former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda (Tumakuru) and his grandsons Prajwal Revanna and Nikhil Kumaraswamy from Hassan and Mandya, respectively.
Also in the fray are Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda (Bengaluru North), senior Congress leaders M. Veerappa Moily (Chickballapur), B.K. Hariprasad (Bengaluru South), and Karnataka Rural Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda (Bengaluru North).