The first list of Assembly candidates for the 224 seats, released late on Sunday night by the Congress party, springs a surprise in that chief minister, Mr Siddaramaiah will get to contest only from Chamundeshwari in Mysore and not Badami in Bagalkot district as well.

The list, however, shows that he has managed to get his way at least in terms of tickets for the ex-JDS law makers, and others from different parties who joined the Congress last month. This, despite the stiff opposition from party veterans like Mr Mallikarjun Kharge and Mr Veerappa Moily.

Accordingly, while it may not have been a win-win situation for him, overall chief minister Siddaramiah would have much to be relieved about, considering that he even got a ticket for Ashok Kheny from the Karnataka Makkala Paksha for Bidar South. His induction and party ticket too was opposed vehemently by Mr Kharge but to no avail.

The chief minister, however, lost no time in claiming that he was really not too keen on contesting from Badami but was facing pressure from the constituents from Bagalkot.

Party insiders, however, are not averse to admitting that he was indeed keen to contest from Badami too, in addition to Chamundeshwari. The BJP, of course, maintains that he was worried that he may lose from the latter constituency which explained his desire to contest from two assembly seats.

The JDS candidate from Chamundeshwari, Mr G T Devegowda, lends credence to the argument as he is making a determined bid to wrest the seat from the Congress.

Importantly, with a sizeable Vokkaliga population around the belt and the constituency, the chief minister knows that he is in for a tough fight Besides, the Deve Gowda family has promised to make it hot for Mr Siddaramiah, even vowed to defeat him, considering the huge influence it commands in its community-dominated constituency and region. The BJP on its part, would not be averse to helping the JDS candidate if it helps in embarrassing the chief minister.

The Congress central leadership last night shot down the chief minister’s proposal to contest from two seats as it believed that it would send a wrong signal to the electorate.

Incidentally, the chief minister had won from the neighbouring Varuna constituency in 2013, a seat from which his son,Yatindra , will contest this time. Mr G Parameshwarahad put forward the plea for a second constituency for himself, in addition to Koratgere in Tumkur from where he will be contesting now.