The 'most unsuccessful candidate' with penchant for polls

Hubli, Apr 28: He has found a slot as the "Most Unsuccessful Candidate" in the 'Limca Book of Records' fielding himself against political bigwigs in the past but this time his attempt to even enter the fray has failed.

Dr K Padmarajan wanted to contest against Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar as an independent from Hubli-Dharwad central constituency for the May five Karnataka Assembly polls, but his papers were rejected as he was not listed among the voters in the constituency.

Padmarajan, who had made attempts to contest against Presidents Pranab Mukherjee, Pratibha Patil, K R Narayanan and A P J Abdul Kalam, is a practicing doctor and had filed his 146th nomination to give a challenge to Shettar.

Since 1988, he has taken on 24 Lok Sabha members, 28 Rajya Sabha members and 46 MLAs.

Padmarajan claimed he files nominations against big personalities only to spread awareness about corruption. "My aim is to give corruption-free administration if I am elected," he added.

Padmarajan said the late Kaka Joginder Singh of Shyamganj was his inspiration, after the Uttar Pradesh man stormed into the Limca Book for contesting as many as 300 elections since 1952 and losing every one of them.

Padmarajan said "The highest votes I got was when I secured 6,273 votes in the Assembly elections from Mettur (Tamil Nadu) constituency in 2011."

Padmarajan, who runs a tyre retreading business at Mettur, said that he had so far lost Rs. 12 lakh in deposit money but would not stop filing nomination papers.

In 1996, he filed nominations for five Lok Sabha seats and three Assembly seats in five states against late Prime Minister Narasimha Rao in Nandyal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in Bargur, M O H Farook in Pondicherry and T Govindan of the CPI (M) in Kasaragod.

"After that, the Constitution was amended restricting a candidate from filing in not more than two constituencies. I must take the credit for that," he quipped.

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‘Have letter, next step is...’: MUDA on Siddaramaiah’s wife’s offer to return plots

News Network

October 1,2024

Mysuru: The Mysuru land authority at the centre of a financial and political storm - involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and alleged losses of ₹ 45 crore to the state - has received an offer of restitution from his wife, the urban development body's Commissioner, AN Raghunandan said.

"I am in possession of a letter written by Siddaramaiah's wife regarding her intention to return 14 plots (of land). The Chief Minister's son, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, came to our office and delivered the letter. We will take legal advice for the next step..." he told reporters in Mysuru.

Mr Raghunandan also confirmed anti-corruption officials from the city's Lokayukta branch had written seeking cooperation in its inquiry into the charges against the Chief Minister.

He said the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, or MUDA, "will cooperate with the investigation".

The Enforcement Directorate, however, have not reached out as yet, Mr Raghunandan said. The ED, a federal agency, has filed a money laundering case against Siddaramaiah.

There have also been calls for the CBI, another federal agency, to investigate charges against the Chief Minister, but that appears unlikely now given the Karnataka government has withdrawn general consent for its operations in the state. Law Minister HK Patil made the announcement last week.

He ruled out any link with demands for the Chief Minister to be investigated by the CBI, which reports to the BJP-led central government and the ruling Congress and other opposition parties have claimed is being used by that party to target rival leaders, particularly before elections.

On Monday - three days after the Lokayukta filed a case against the Chief Minister, and hours after the ED launched its probe- Siddaramaiah's wife said she had planned to give up the land earlier but was advised against it the allegations against her husband are "politically motivated".

But now, she said, she had made up her mind as "no house, plot, or wealth is more important than my husband's honor, dignity, and peace of mind". She also said the decision was hers alone; "... I am not aware of my husband's opinion on this matter, nor do I concern myself with what my son thinks".

And, in a comment seen as a calculated swipe at the opposition BJP, which is leading calls for the Chief Minister's resignation, his wife also made an emotional appeal to "all political parties and the media" to "please not drag women of political families into the controversy to settle political scores".

Investigative action against the Chief Minister follows the Karnataka High Court quashing a challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's order sanctioning Siddaramaiah's prosecution.

Subsequently a trial court ordered framing of charges and directed the Lokayukta to complete the investigation within three months. The ED case was filed based on the Lokayukta FIR.

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims Parvathi was allotted 14 plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere - holding a far lower value - taken for infrastructure projects.

The Chief Minister has denied all charges and refused calls to resign.

He has been backed by the Congress and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the state unit boss, and also by members of his cabinet, including IT Minister Priyank Kharge. However, some within the Congress also want him to quit, such as former Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad.

"I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally," he said last week after the High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor's sanction.

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