KJP Working President Shobha Karandlaje
Credit: M S MANJUNATH
Despite facing strong anti-incumbency, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje remains a strong contender to get re-nomination from the Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency as she was the lone woman BJP candidate who emerged victorious from the southern states in 2019 elections.
The party leaders are yet to decide whether to field her from Udupi-Chikmagalur or shift her to Bangalore North. But it is firm on giving her ticket, sources said. Though she is keen on contesting from Udupi-Chikmagalur, considering it to be a safe seat for her since it is a BJP stronghold, the state leaders have flagged concerns over opposition from local party leaders and workers. Party workers held ‘Go back Shobha’ bike rallies in Chikkamagaluru and Udupi recently.
The BJP’s central leaders are contemplating on fielding her from Bengaluru North, instead of sitting MP D V Sadananda Gowda. Though former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, who is also a member of the party’s parliamentary board, favoured Shobha’s renomination from Udupi-Chikmagalur at a meeting with BJP’s central leaders on Monday, leaders from the state have decided to leave the decision to the party’s top brass, sources said. Even though Mangala Angadi, wife of late union minister Suresh Angadi, won the bypoll in 2021 from the Belgaum seat, she is not inclined to contest the elections this time. Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar is likely to contest from Belgaum.
Another woman MP from the state, Sumalatha Ambareesh, won the Mandya segment as an independent with the backing of the BJP in the 2019 elections. She has remained an associate member of the BJP. Though she is trying for BJP ticket from Mandya, she is unlikely to get it as the seat may go to alliance partner JD(S).
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