After offering prayers to Goddess Chamundeshwari and Lord Anjaneya…

Mysuru: Tomorrow (Mar.26) being the last day to file nomination papers for the first phase (14 Lok Sabha Seats of South Karnataka) of elections to be held on Apr.18, it was a nomination-frenzy Monday with political bigwigs filing their papers.

While the first half of today (between 9 am and 11 am) witnessed many leaders trooping into various temples and religious Mutts seeking divine intervention for their victory, the latter half witnessed candidates rushing to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office to file their nominations. In the afternoon too, some candidates are set to visit temples and file their nominations by 3 pm.

The delay in the announcement of names of candidates by both BJP and JD(S)-Congress combine has created a rush of sorts with several key candidates in the fray. Some of the biggies who have filed the nominations this morning and those who are filing their papers by 3 pm are, Pratap Simha (Mysuru-Kodagu) and A. Manju (Hassan) from BJP, C.H. Vijayashankar (Mysuru-Kodagu) and R. Dhruvanarayan (Chamarajanagar) from Congress, and H.D. Deve Gowda (Tumakuru) and Nikhil Kumaraswamy (Mandya) from JD(S).

FIRST NOMINATION

For Mysuru-Kodagu Parliamentary seat, it was Pratap Simha who filed his nomination papers first at around 12.15 pm at the DC’s Office. Before filing his papers, Simha offered his prayers at Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hill accompanied by his wife Arpitha Simha and daughter Vipanchi Simha.

Later, Pratap Simha and his supporters drove to Suttur Mutt and sought the blessings of Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji. Next he visited Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple and offered prayers.

He addressed party workers along with former Dy.CM R. Ashok, MLAs Appachu Ranjan, L. Nagendra, K.G. Bopaiah, BJP Slum Morcha General Secretary R. Raghu Kautilya and actress and BJP leader Tara Anuradha.

MASSIVE RALLY

After the meeting, a massive rally was taken out with Pratap Simha and other leaders in an open tempo. Accompanied by folk troupes including Dollu Kunita and Veeragase, over 3,500 people marched, chanting slogans of “Modi Again.”

In the procession, there were several groups dressed in saffron and holding placards of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Venkata Rao, a resident of Siddarthanagar, who dressed like PM Modi and rode a horse, was the cynosure of all eyes.

The procession passed through Dodda Gadiyara, Chikka Gadiyara, D. Devaraja Urs Road, JLB Road Junction and Metropole Circle and crossed the DC’s Office to reach the Institution of Engineers-India (IEI) on JLB Road.

This is because Section 144 has been imposed around the DC’s Office as a precautionary measure. Pratap Simha and other leaders walked from IEI till the DC’s Office and submitted the papers.

TWO SETS OF PAPERS

Pratap Simha filed two sets of papers and the first set was submitted at 12.15 pm to DC Abhiram G. Sankar, who is also the District Electoral Officer and Returning Officer for Mysuru-Kodagu constituency. MLA S.A. Ramdas, former Dy.CM R. Ashok, MLAs Appachu Ranjan and K.G. Bopaiah accompanied Simha as he filed the papers.

The second set of papers was filed at 12.20 pm and the sitting MP was accompanied by his wife Arpitha Simha, MLA L. Nagendra, former MLCs G. Madhusudan and Thontadharya.

CONGRESS RALLY

Soon after Pratap Simha’s rally moved from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple, Congress candidate for Mysuru-Kodagu seat C.H. Vijayashankar and team arrived at Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple. Before this, Vijayashankar and his family members visited Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hill and  offered prayers.

At Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple, Vijayashankar was accompanied by former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, KPCC Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, former Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, former MLAs Vasu and M.K. Somashekar.

The Congress rally from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple began at around 12.30 pm and this rally too followed the route till Institution of Engineers from where Vijayashankar walked up to the DC’s Office to file his papers.

Vijayashankar filed his papers at 1.30 pm and he was accompanied by former Ministers Tanveer Sait & Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Tourism Minister S.R. Mahesh and MLC Veena Achaiah.

ELABORATE SECURITY

The city Police had made elaborate security to avoid any untoward incidents during the filing of nominations as both the candidates (Pratap Simha and Vijayashankar) were given time between 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm and both of them had sought permission to lead a rally.

Two separate teams — one for BJP rally and one for Congress rally — were formed and the personnel comprised 7 City Armed Reserve platoons, 6 KSRP platoons, 2 Commando force teams and one Mounted Police team. The security apparatus was managed by DCP (Law and Order) M. Muthuraj.

The entire process of nomination papers filing, party meetings, rallies and candidate speeches were videographed by Election Officials to prevent candidates from making sensitive speeches.

Mandya candidate Nikhil too seeks Chamundeshwari’s blessings