Karnataka election result 2023: 10 key candidates to look out for ahead of 13 May

The nation will be glued to their screen for the results of the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 on 13 May. The high stakes elections that is being considered a pre-cursor to the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, will also see opposing political parties- Bhartiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, and Janata Dal (Secular) will also wait with bated breath to see their scorecard. 

Notably, all three parties indulged in intensive campaigning for the crucial elections results.

Let's take a look at 10 key candidates

Basavaraj Bommai (BJP) - Shiggaon

The incumbent chief minister of Karnataka, 63, is seeking re-election from Shiggaon, from where he has been an MLA three times since the 2008 Karnataka assembly election. 

Bommai is contesting against Congress candidate Mohammed Yousuf Savanur. 

Catch live updates on Karnataka election result here

Siddaramaiah (Congress) - Varuna

Siddaramaiah, 75, is an eight-time MLA from Indian National Congress. 

He had earlier won twice from Varuna, and went on to become the Leader of Opposition after winning from here in 2008, and then became chief minister after the 2013 Karnataka assembly election. 

In the 2023 poll, Siddaramaiah is contesting against BJP's V Somanna and former legislator Bharathi Shankar of JD(S). Before Varuna seat, Siddaramaiah had won from Chamundeshwari and Badami seats.

DK Shivakumar (Congress) - Kanakapura

Known to be a vocal leader and Kanakapura rock, DK Shivakumar, 60, is the official candidate from Kanakapura, and also the Congress favourite for Chief Minister post. 

Notably, the constituency, Kanakapura, has elected him in the last three Karnataka assembly elections in 2008, 2013 and 2018. Shivakumar is contesting against the ruling BJP's Vokkaliga face R Ashoka from Kanakapura. 

HD Kumaraswamy (JDS) - Channapatna

The twice former Chief Minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy is contesting from Channapatna segment in the 2023 assembly poll and is set to take on BJP leader CP Yogeshwara. 

In the 2018 election, Yogeshwara contesting as a BJP candidate was defeated by Kumaraswamy. In the 2018 Karnataka assembly elections, JD(S) formed an alliance with the Congress and Kumaraswamy became the chief minister. However, he resigned after 14 months following a revolt by his own party MLAs.

Nikhil Kumaraswamy (JDS) - Ramanagara

A failed political debut of a political family's child, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, battles for the Ramanagara constituency for the 2023 Karnataka assembly election.

The son of HD Kumaraswamy and grandson of former prime minister and JD(S) chief Deve Gowda, had contested Mandya's seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha election but lost to BJP-backed Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh.

CT Ravi (BJP) - Chikmagalur

CT Ravi is one of the prominent faces of BJP in Karnataka.

He rose to the ranks of national general secretary for the saffron party. 

He is a four-time MLA from the Chikmagalur assembly constituency and is contesting from his bastion in the 2023 Karnataka election.

Jagadish Shettar (Congress) - Hubballi-Dharwad-Central

The turncoat to have caused news ahead of the Karnataka Assembly Elections, Jagadish Shettar, quit BJP after he was denied a ticket. He joined Congress and has fought against BJP state general secretary Mahesh Tenginkai from the Hubballi-Dharwad-Central for the 2023 Karnataka Assembly Polls 2023.   

Shettar was a prominent BJP leader in Karnataka and is a face of the very influential Lingayat community

G Parameshwara (Congress) - Koratagere

Senior Congress leader, G Parameshwara, is contesting from his traditional constituency of Koratagere in Tumakuru district for the 2023 Karnataka assembly election. 

Considered the Congress's representative for Dalits in Karnataka, G Parameshwara is a veteran politician he has previously held the position of deputy CM in the state. 

V Somanna (BJP) - Varuna and Chamrajanagar

BJP fielded seasoned V Somanna from two seats - Varuna and Chamrajanagar. Somanna, the BJP's Lingayat strongman, will take on Congress's Siddaramaiah in the Varuna segment in the 2023 Karnataka assembly election. 

Neither Siddaramaiah nor Somanna had not contested from Varuna last time.

R Ashoka (BJP) - Kanakapura

Revenue minister R Ashoka of the BJP will take on DK Shivakumar, who is a seven-time MLA, in Kanakapura in the 2023 Karnataka assembly election. 

Ashoka, is a prominent member belonging to the Vokkaliga community, is also considered a close aide of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa. Ashok is also contesting from Padmanabhanagar of Bengaluru.