'Election King' Padmarajan to lose candidature against CM Bommai

TN-based 'Election King' Padmarajan might have boldly contested against Vajpayee, Jayalalithaa, Stalin, Rahul Gandhi and the likes in the past elections. But in the Karnataka elections this time, the election crusader g would have to concede defeat in front of CM Basavaraj Bommai as his candidature may be rejected due to a lack of required proposals in his favour, sources said.

Haveri (Karnataka) : K Padmarajan, also known as King of Election submitted his nomination paper for the Shiggaon assembly constituency on Friday. This would be his 233rd nomination. He belongs to Tamilnadu. Padmarajan remains popularly known as ‘Election King’ in recognition of his indomitable spirit to contest against stalwart politicians regardless of his continuing defeats throughout.

Padmarajan filed his papers to challenge Karnataka's current Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. CM Bommai is also in the midst of filing his nomination papers from Shiggaon in the presence of the BJP leaders and cadres. In the 2019 elections, Padmarajan filed a nomination in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency from where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi successfully contested but was disqualified this year.

This time, Padmarajan may have filed nomination papers from Shiggaon but he may not become a valid candidate, said District Collector Raghunandana. He can only contest in the constituency where he is a voter. Also, 10 local people's proposals are required for the contest. No one has submitted a proposal in favour of Padmarajan. Therefore, his nomination may be rejected, Haveri District Collector said.

In the current elections for 224 assembly seats of Karnataka, voting will be held on May 10, 2023. Padmarajan has filed his papers to contest the MLA election. The 64-year-old Padmarajan hails from Mettur of Salem district in Tamil Nadu. A homoeopathic doctor, he has contested several elections in India and filed his nomination papers to contest the Presidential elections as well.

Padmarajan figures in the India Book of Records as well as the Limca Book of Records which honoured the man with the title ‘All India Election King’. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when Padmarajan contested from Wayanad in Kerala where Rahul Gandhi was the star candidate, Padmarajan secured 1,850 votes and that too without any campaigning. Meanwhile, in the 2011 elections, he secured 6,773 votes from Mettur Constituency.

Padmarajan, so far had contested against Vajpayee, Narasimha Rao, Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi, AK Antony, Yediyurappa, Bangarappa, SM Krishna, Edappadi Palanisamy and MK Stalin. He contested 5 Presidential Elections, 5 Vice President, 32 Lok Sabha, 50 Rajya Sabha, 72 Assembly Elections, 3 MLC, 1 Mayor, 3 Chairman, 4 Panchayat President, 12 Councilor, 2 District Councilor, 3 Union Councilor, 6 Ward Member, 30 Director.