The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party have accused each other of corruption through campaigning for the Assembly elections, but both parties had named candidates who face allegations of fraud. Despite this, some of these candidates are leading in or have won seats.
Somashekara Reddy and Karunakara Reddy, brothers of Janardhan Reddy who is accused in an illegal mining case, have both won seats by large margins. Somashekara Reddy, a BJP candidate from Bellary City constituency who was arrested in the 2012 cash-for-bail scam, won by 16,155 votes. The Congress’ Anil Lad, who was accused of illegally exporting iron ore, lost to him. Meanwhile, Karunakara Reddy, who contested on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket from Harapanahalli constituency, won the seat with 67,603 votes. He had a lead of 9,647 votes against Congress party’s MP Ravindra.
BJP’s chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa, who was accused of corruption and later cleared, won from the Shikaripura constituency with a margin of 35,397 votes against Congress party’s Goni Malatesha.
Congress candidate NA Haris, whose son was in judicial custody for an assault case, won the Shanti Nagar seat with 60,009 votes. He had a lead of 18,205 votes against BJP’s K Vasudevamurthy.
Incumbent minister and Congress leader KJ George was the prime accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation for abetting the suicide of a police officer. Even with these charges, George is leading the race in Sarvagnanagar constituency with a 49,835 lead against BJP’s MN Reddy.
Another Congress minister DK Shivakumar, whose properties in Mysuru, Delhi and Bengaluru were raided by Income Tax authorities, is leading in Kanakapura constituency 1,27,552 votes as of now.
BJP’s CT Ravi won the Chikmagalur seat with 70,863 votes. He was accused of forging document but was given a clean chit.
As many as 391 candidates who contested in the Karnataka Assembly elections have criminal cases against them, according to non-profit organisation the Association for Democratic Reforms. As many as 58 candidates of the BJP, 32 candidates of the Congress and 29 candidates of the Janata Dal (Secular) have declared criminal cases. Despite this fact, several of these candidates have come out victorious in the elections.
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