Bangalore: The battle lines between the brothers were drawn today (Apr 1, 2004) when former Karnataka minister Kumar Bangarappa of Congress filed nomination papers for the Soraba Assembly seat in Shimoga district to take on his own brother Madhu Bangrappaa contesting as BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) nominee.

Kumar Bangarappa, son of former Chief Minister S Bangarappa, who quit Congress last month to join BJP, did a somersault and returned to Congress last week.

Since then, Bangarappa has launched a diatribe against the Congress leaders for splitting his family. He is seeking re-election from Shimoga Parliamentary constituency.

Bangarappa managed to get ticket to his second son Madhu Bangarappa from Sorab, denying ticket to Kumar Bangarappa, who represented the constituency in the dissolved Assembly.

Irked by denial of ticket and pressure from his supporters, Kumar Bangarappa left BJP barely three weeks after joining it.

Including Kumar Bangarappa nine candidates submitted papers for the second phase of Assembly polls to be held on April 26 in 13 Lok Sabha and 104 Assembly constituencies.

The last date for filing of nominations is April 7.

Meanwhile according to statistics released by the State electoral authorities, 141 aspirants have filed nominations for the 15 Lok Sabha and 1594 from 120 Assembly constituencies that go to election in the phase on April 20.

The deadline for filing of papers for the first phase ended yesterday (Mar 31).

The scrutiny of nominations will be taken up tomorrow (Apr 2).