Nadda holds meeting with BJP leaders ahead of Bommai's nomination filing

HUBBALLI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda on Wednesday held a breakfast meeting with senior leaders of the party at MLA Aravind Bellad's house in Karnataka's Hubballi ahead of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's filing of nomination.

Bommai who has been fielded from the Shiggaon Assembly constituency in the Haveri district will file his nomination today. He has been holding this seat since 2008.

He will be accompanied by Nadda and other leaders to the filing centre. Kannada film actor Kichcha Sudeep will accompany him during the nomination. The actor had extended his support to the Chief Minister, a move which was heavily criticised by the opposition. Meanwhile, Bommai on Tuesday expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party will return to power in Karnataka with the "largest majority".

"This time there is a huge support and I'm confident of winning with the largest majority this time," CM Bommai told ANI.

On former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagdish Shettar's defection, the CM said, "Nothing has shaken. Not even a small brick has changed. We are going to win all three Hubli-Dharwad seats, including Jagadish Shettar's seat." BJP on Monday announced its candidate for the Hubballi-Dharwad Central seat hours after former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar joined the Congress.

Jagadish Shettar's resignation from BJP and his joining Congress has made Hubballi-Dharwad Central a key battle in the assembly polls. Shettar, a six-time MLA, represented the seat in the outgoing assembly and was keen to be given a ticket from the constituency.

Congress Siddaramaiah, who is contesting from the Varuna constituency, will file his nomination today. Former BJP leader and now a Congress leader and candidate from the Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency, from where he has been an MLA six times, will also file his nomination today. Karnataka will go to Assembly polls on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.