SUMMARY
With the polling date for Karnataka Assembly election inching closer, the political parties in the southern state have intensified their campaigns to garner maximum support. The outcome of the election could significantly impact the roadmap for both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress at the national level ahead of the next year’s Lok Sabha elections, while Janata Dal (Secular) is aiming to play the kingmaker. Here is a list of possible chief ministerial candidates in the Karnataka Assembly election 2023:
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Basavaraj Bommai | Basavaraj Bommai took over as the CM in July 2021 after his predecessor B.S. Yediyurappa resigned from the post. Bommai has been an MLA since 2008 and has represented Shiggaon three times since then. He recently filed his nomination from Shiggaon to seek re-election in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Though the BJP has not yet announced its CM face for the upcoming election, recently while addressing a gathering after Bommai filed his nomination, BJP President J.P. Nadda hinted that the CM could get another term if the party comes to power.
2 / 5Siddaramaiah | Former CM Siddaramaiah held the office from 2013 to 2018. He is also among the frontrunners in the race to become chief minister in case Congress emerges as the single largest party. He is a prominent leader from the Kuruba community and has a strong base in the Old Mysuru region of the state. He has filed his nomination from Varuna, a constituency he had earlier won twice. Siddaramaiah has recently announced that he will quit electoral politics after this election.
3 / 5D.K. Shivakumar | Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D.K. Shivakumar is seen as one of the main contenders for the post of chief minister if Congress comes to power. He is known for his strong organisational skills and has been instrumental in building the party's base in the state. He has filed his nomination from the Kanakapura constituency in Ramanagara district, where he won the seat in the 2018 elections. He has a strong vote base among the Vokkaliga voters.
4 / 5H.D. Kumaraswamy | H.D. Kumaraswamy, a former CM and the leader of JD(S), has also emerged as a possible candidate for the chief ministerial position. Kumaraswamy, the son of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, has a strong political background and has been actively involved in state politics for many years and held the position twice in the coalition governments.
5 / 5The upcoming Karnataka Assembly election is expected to be a crucial battle for all the major political parties in the state. The election for all the 224 seats will be held on May 10 while the results will be announced on May 13. With the political landscape in Karnataka being highly competitive, it remains to be seen which party will emerge victorious in the election.
