Bengaluru, April 21 : As many as 368 nominations were filed today for the May 12 Karnataka assembly polls. Among those who filed the papers were former minister B Sriramulu, a close associate of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy. He filed his nomination from Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district.

Reddy was present when Sriramulu submitted the papers accompanied by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and BJP's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa.

BJP president Amit Shah had recently remarked that his party had no connection with the mining baron, but his confidants have got tickets including brothers G Karunakara and G Somashekhara Reddy.

The filing of nomination was a mighty show of" strength by Sriramulu and his party. Travelling in a bus decorated like a chariot, Sriramulu acknowledged the cheers of his supporters as they thronged to take part in the rally amid beating of drums.

The day was marked by BJP commencing an advertisement blitzkrieg by giving advertisements just below the masthead of prominent newspapers highlighting its resolve to fight corruption by bringing in transparency.

Reacting to this, Chief Minister"Siddaramaiah tweeted "One advertisement & one news"item from today's papers! Amusing." "Is BJP trying to entertain"the people of Karnataka or asking for votes?" " "

He also posted two pictures- one of BJP's" advertisement and another the news about BJP giving ticket to Reddy's brother Karunakara Reddy.

Vyapam scam whistleblower Dr Anand Rai tweeted, "Remember the 500 Cr wedding during demonetisation?" Today Janardhana Reddy is back in action for his friend Sriramalu who filed"his nomination from Molkalmur on Saturday, he tweeted. A total of 1,144 nominations have been filed since the process was set in motion on April 17.