BJP likely to announce first list by next weekend

Karnataka BJP’s core committee, led by the BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the central leaders’ team, led by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and BJP national general secretary Arun Singh on Saturday reportedly decided to announce the first list of 140-160 candidates before next weekend.

A senior leader told DH that the names of Madal Virupakshappa of Channagiri, S A Ravindranath of Davangere North, G H Thippareddy of Chitradurga and Mahesh Kumathalli or Laxman Savadi of Atahni are not likely to figure in the first list.

“The party’s strength in the Legislative Assembly now stands at 121 and if the party decides to announce its first list, it will automatically cross the 150- to 160-mark as there is no confusion about candidates in 180 seats. There are only a very few seats, like Athani, where two prominent candidates are fighting for a single seat,” sources explained.

The sources noted that more clarity is required on issues like whether the party should field leaders like Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and B Y Vijayendra from two seats.

The core committee meeting on the first day deliberated on 114 seats that fall under 16 districts, largely belonging to Kalyana Karnataka, Kittur Karnataka, Malnad and Central Karnataka.

The sources added that the core committee will meet on Sunday again to deliberate on the remaining 110 seats that fall under 15 districts, including Bengaluru district.

Prominent leaders like former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, Union Ministers Shobha Karandlaje, Govind Karjol and B Y Raghvendra attended the core committee meeting.