The BJP has announced its second list for Karnataka election
The Karnataka BJP has released its second list of 23 candidates for the assembly election to be held next month. The BJP yesterday released the names of candidates for 189 seats in the 224-member assembly, which means 12 more candidates are yet to be announced.
The second list does not include the Hubballi-Dharwad central seat, from where the current BJP MLA Jagadish Shettar, who is also a former Chief Minister, wants to contest again. He has threatened a rebellion as an independent if he is not given a ticket.
There are two women in the second list of 23 candidates.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai yesterday told reporters the party would release the candidates' list in two phases. It is now certain that a third list will come. The party is likely finalising the names or making last-minute tweaks, considering the threat of contesting as an independent by Mr Shettar, who has won six times from Hubballi.
There is also the matter of accommodating Congress rebels who joined the BJP in 2019, which led to the collapse of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government.
The second list also shows four current MLAs have been denied tickets. They are CM Nimbannavar in Kalaghatagi, MP Kumaraswamy in Mudigere, Neharu Olekar in Haveri and Madal Virupakshappa in Channagiri. Mr Virupakshappa faces corruption allegations.
Mr Kumaraswamy, who is contesting from Mudigere, has been at the centre of controversies over his comments that he has been targeted because he is a Dalit, and even faced attacks by the public in November last year near Mudigere. He is seen as a liability by a section of leaders in the Karnataka BJP.
BJP workers had also surrounded former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's car in protest last month while he came to campaign for the party, demanding that a ticket not be given to Mr Kumaraswamy at Mudigere.