According to Congress sources and reports, several of its candidates for the council polls are relatives of senior party leaders. Among the candidates, Channaraja Basavaraja Hottiholi from Belagavi is the brother of MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar, R Rajendra from Tumkur is the son of former party MLA K N Rajanna, S Ravi from Bangalore Rural is the relative of state Congress President D K Shivakumar, Sunil Gowda Patil from Bijapur is the brother of senior MLA and former Minister M B Patil. While Raichur Congress candidate Sarana Gouda Patil is the nephew of MLA Amaregouda Patil, Bhimrao B Patil from Bidar is the brother of MLA Rajashekhar Patil. Sources said, Bhimanna Naik from Uttara Kannada and Mantar Gowda from Kodagu are also relatives of senior politicians. Mantar Gowda is the son of former Congress leader and ex-Minister A Manju, who is now associated with the BJP. However, after this development, the BJP today relieved Manju from all party responsibilities.