Congress MLA Prasad Abbayya taking out a rally before filing his nomination papers in Hubballi on Monday.
| Photo Credit: KIRAN BAKALE
Textiles Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, senior Congress leader H.K. Patil, the former Minister Santosh Lad and Rudrappa Lamani were prominent among those who filed their nomination papers in the three districts of Dharwad, Haveri and Gadag on Monday.
In Dharwad district, 21 nomination papers were filed in seven Assembly segments. While Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa filed two sets of nomination papers from Navalgund constituency, Mr. Santosh Lad filed nomination papers from Kalghatgi constituency.
On behalf of the former Minister Vinay Kulkarni, who has been barred by the Supreme Court from entering Dharwad district, his wife Shivaleela Kulkarni filed his nomination papers on Monday.
According to Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Gurudatta Hegde Navalgund and Kundgol segments received five nomination papers, Dharwad three, Hubballi-Dharwad East two, Hubballi-Dharwad Central one, Hubballi-Dharwad West four and Kalghatgi one.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Prasad Abbayya took out a huge rally before filing his nomination papers from Hubballi-Dharwad East segment.
In Gadag
Member of Legislative Assembly H.K. Patil was among the 14 candidates who filed 18 sets of nomination papers in Gadag district. Mr. Patil accompanied by hundreds of party workers and well-wishers took out a rally from the district Congress office and filed his nomination papers from Gadag Assembly constituency.
In Haveri
Congress MLA Srinivas Mane, BJP MLAs Arunkumar Pujar and Virupakshappa Ballari and the former MLA R. Shankar were prominent among 20 candidates who filed 27 sets of nomination papers in Haveri district.
Rebels
The day also saw rebel candidates from both the Congress and the BJP filing their nomination papers as Independent candidates.
Congress leaders Shivanand Basappa Karigar (Navalgund), P.H. Neeralakeri (Hubballi-Dharwad West) and BJP leader and former MLA S.I. Chikkanagoudar (Kundgol) filed their nomination papers.
In Gadag district, the former MLA Ramakrishna Doddamani filed nomination papers as Independent candidate from Shirahatti constituency. In Ranebennur constituency, the former MLA R. Shankar, who recently quit the BJP, filed his nomination papers as NCP candidate.