By Neha Yadav
Published May 13, 2023

Hindustan Times
In Focus

Photo Credits: PTI

Karnataka Election 2023: Key Candidates Live Updates

The voting for the Karnataka assembly elections took place on May 10, 2023 with nearly 72% turnout. The counting of votes is underway and the Congress party has already crossed the halfway mark

Here are the key candidates of the Karnataka assembly elections 2023

Siddaramaiah (INC)

Siddaramaiah is an eight-time MLA. He served as the CM of Karnataka from 2013 to 2018. He is contesting from Varuna constituency against BJP's V Somanna and former legislator Bharathi Shankar of JD(S)

Won

D.K. Shivakumar (INC)

Shivakumar was elected from the Kanakpura constituency in the 2008, 2013 and 2018 Karnataka assembly elections. He is contesting from the Kanakpura against BJP's Vokkaliga face R Ashoka

Won

Basavaraj Bommai (BJP)

He is the incumbent CM of Karnataka. He is seeking re-election from the Shiggaon constituency that elected him thrice since the 2008 Karnataka assembly election

Won

H.D. Kumaraswamy- JD(S)

Kumaraswamy is contesting from the Channapatna constituency against BJP leader CP Yogeshwara. He became the CM of Karnataka in 2018 and resigned after 14 months

Won

Nikhil Kumaraswamy - JD(S)

Son of H.D. Kumaraswamy and grandson of former PM and JD(S) chief Deve Gowda, Nikhil Kumaraswamy is contesting the election from the Ramanagara constituency

Lost

C.T. Ravi (BJP)

Ravi is contesting from the Chikmagalur assembly constituency. He is the national general secretary of BJP.  He is a four-time MLA from the Chikmagalur constituency

Lost

Jagdish Shettar (INC)

Veteran politician Shettar is a former CM of Karnataka. He left BJP and joined the Congress party recently. He is contesting from Hubli-Dharwad-Central against BJP state general secretary Mahesh Tenginkai

Lost

G. Parameshwara (INC)

Parameshwara is a senior Congress leader and a former deputy CM of Karnataka. He is contesting from Koratagere in the Tumakuru district of Karnataka. He is regarded as the representative for Dalits in the state

Won

V. Somanna (BJP)

In 2018 Karnataka assembly election, Somanna won from the Govindaraja Nagar segment, his pocketborough in Bengaluru city

Varuna: Lost

Chamarajanagar: Lost

R. Ashoka (BJP)

Ashoka is the revenue minister of the state. He is contesting elections from Kanakapura and Padmanaba Nagar. He is a seven-time MLA from Kanakapura constituency

Kanakapura: Lost

Padmanaba Nagar: Won