BJP denies tickets to former Karnataka CM and state chief, sitting MPs as 20 candidates announced

Bengaluru: The BJP on Wednesday announced candidates for 20 out of Karnataka’s 28 seats in its second list, fielding former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Shobha Karandlaje, and sitting MP Tejasvi Surya but dropping certain senior leaders and sitting MPs.

Former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda (Bengaluru North), former state President Nalin Kumar Kateel (Dakshina Kannada), two-time Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, and former Union Minister G.M. Siddeshwara (Davanagere) have not been fielded this time.

Union Minister Karandlaje has been asked to contest from the Bengaluru North seat while the Udupi-Chikmagalur seat she was holding has been allotted to Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojari.

Union Minister Joshi will contest from his traditional Dharwad Parliamentary seat and fellow Union Minister Bhagwanth Khuba from Bidar.

Former CM B.S. Yediyurappa’s son B.Y. Raghavendra will contest from Shivamogga.

Instead of former Union Minister Siddeshwara, the party has allotted a ticket to his wife Gayathri Siddeshwara from Davanagere.

Former Minister V. Somanna has been fielded from the Tumakuru constituency, and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda’s son-in-law Dr C.N. Manjunath will take on Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar’s brother D.K. Suresh in Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha seat.

Former minister and backward classes leader B.S. Sriramulu will contest from the Bellary seat.

Former Chief Minister Bommai has been fielded from Haveri MP, and sitting MP and BJP Yuva Morcha President Tejasvi Surya will contest from his Bengaluru South seat.

Mysuru royal scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar will contest from the Mysuru-Kodagu seat.

Senior leaders Annasaheb Jolle (Chikkodi), P.C. Gaddigoudar (Bagalkot), Ramesh Jigajinagi (Bijapur), Dr. G. Umesh G Jadhav (Gulbarga), Dr. Basavaraj Kyavator (Koppal), P.C. Mohan (Bengaluru Central), and S. Balaraj (Chamarajanagar) and new face Captain Brijesh Chowta (Dakshina Kannada) are the other candidates.

The party is yet to declare candidates for Uttara Kannada, Raichur, Chitradurga, Belagavi, and Chikkaballapur seats.

Janata Dal-Secular state President and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the Kolar, Mandya, and Hassan constituencies have been allotted to his party. Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former PM H.D. Deve Gowda will contest from Hassan candidate and the candidates for Kolar and Mandya seats are yet to be announced.