Bengaluru: The BJP late on Wednesday released the second list of 23 candidates for the May 10 Karnataka polls, leaving out six more sitting MLAs. It also maintained suspense about the fate of former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar – who has publicly expressed his anger at being asked to make way for others in what is now his constituency. HubliDharwad (Central) was not in the list.
The release of the second list dealt a blow to another sitting MLA. to announce His resignation came after Deepak Doddaiya was made the BJP candidate from Mudigere on Thursday. three time MLA MP Kumaraswamy quit the party, and blamed national general secretary CT Ravi for not nominating him.
This comes two days after Shivamogga MLA KS Eshwarappa announced his retirement from electoral politics, hours before the BJP released its first list of candidates. Senior leaders of the Kuruba community are trying to secure a ticket for their son, it is learnt. The BJP did not name its candidate from Shivamogga in the second list as well.
Meanwhile, the name of Channagiri Dal MLA Virupakshappa, accused of corruption, has been dropped from the list. Other sitting MLAs who have been denied tickets include Nehru Olekar (Haveri), Sukumar Shetty (Byndur), N. Linganna (Mayakonda), CM Nimbanwar (Kalaghatgi) and SA Ravindranath (Davangere North).
The BJP has fielded Karunakara Reddy, brother of mining magnate Gali Janardhana Reddy, as its candidate from Harapanahalli in the newly created district of Vijayanagara. Karunakar Reddy In 2018, he won from the same constituency by securing a total of 67,603 votes and defeating Congress MP Ravindra, who secured 57,956 votes.
Has been in the BJP ever since it released its first list of candidates damage control mode A flood of resignations in Karnataka amid resentment among those denied tickets and protests by their supporters. The party is taking a cautious approach to the upcoming elections and claims to be introducing 52 new faces, though most are replacements for those it lost in the 2018 elections. Children of legislators.
The party has so far released 212 names, while the Congress has released 166 names in two lists and the Janata Dal (Secular) has released 93 names. The last date for filing nominations is April 20, while polling will take place on May 10 and the result will be declared on May 13.
The BJP’s second list has two women, Lalita contesting from Anapur Gurmitkal and Ashwini Sampangi contesting from Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), which is reserved for the SC community. This takes the total number of women candidates announced by the BJP to 10 so far out of 212 names out of a total of 224. The final list of 12 remains in various stages of discussion.
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MLA accused of corruption released
The BJP has named Shiv Kumar as its Channagiri candidate in place of Madal Virupakshappa, who is currently facing charges Of corruption. Last month, Virupakshappa’s son, Prashant Madal, chief accountant of the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), was caught allegedly accepting a bribe after a contractor lodged a complaint last month. Karnataka Lokayukta officials caught him allegedly taking bribe – Rs 40 lakh in cash out of total Rs 80 lakh demanded in return for the tender of karnataka soapS and detergentS Ltd. (KSDL), a state-owned company in which his father Was Then President
subsequent raid Cash worth over Rs 8 crore was found at the homes and offices of MLA Virupakshappa and his associates, including KSDL officials. Raids and corruption charges add to pile of corruption allegations against the BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai before the elections.
Virupakshappa was arrested on March 27 after his bail application was rejected.
Meanwhile, a question mark still looms large over whether former Chief Minister Shettar will be allowed to contest the polls. Lingayat leader Reached Delhi on Wednesday, telling media persons that he would contest the elections at all costs.
“National president (of BJP) JP Nadda had asked me to come here to discuss Dharwad Central. I, along with our Parliamentary Affairs Minister, went to him and discussed with him, gave him all the information and he said they will deliberate further and take a decision,” Shettar told media persons in the national capital on Wednesday evening.
Shettar has been very outspoken About the BJP allegedly not consulting him before taking the decision to drop him, saying that not a single senior party leader had called him to inform him about their stand till the list was announced .
Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa threw his weight behind Shettar, saying he was sure the party would accommodate the senior leader. “The party will 100 per cent give ticket to Shettar and we all want to see him contest from Hubli (Dharwad),” he said. I have also spoken to the high command,” Yediyurappa said in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Protests broke out in several districts and assembly constituencies after several senior leaders were denied tickets. Former minister and six-time MLA S Angara also said he was pained by the BJP’s decision of not informing him about his ouster. announced His retirement from active politics on Wednesday
Same day Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat burst into tears Being out of the first list. The BJP fielded Yashpal Suvarna in his place.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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