Karnataka Assembly Elections: BJP fields 52 new faces, targets Siddaramaiah and DKS

The BJP decided Tuesday to field ministers V Somanna and R Ashoka against Congress top guns Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar in its much-awaited list of 189 candidates that saw at least nine sitting MLAs being denied tickets.

The list makes the BJP's intention clear: Siddaramaiah must be tied down at Varuna where Somanna, a Lingayat who has a good rapport with mutts, is expected to give him a run for his money. Similarly, the BJP does not want Shivakumar to take his Kanakapura seat for granted as he will face Ashoka, the saffron party’s Vokkaliga face.

Somanna and Ashoka will also contest from Chamarajanagar and Padmanabhanagar, respectively, making them the only ones contesting from two seats.

Also read | Karnataka election: Shettar defies BJP order, says 'will contest' in polls

The BJP also seems determined to phase out a section of senior leaders. Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, the Hubli-Dharwad (Central) MLA, was asked to make way for someone else. But Shettar rejected this. "I’m hurt. I don't know why they asked me to vacate,” he said before being summoned by BJP national president JP Nadda for talks.

Another senior leader KS Eshwarappa was asked to vacate the Shimoga City seat, which he did without resistance and vowed to work for the party. But his supporters staged protests. “The BJP must get a majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha election and Narendra Modi should become PM again. To achieve this, I’m retiring," Eshwarappa, a former deputy CM, said.

Having retired from electoral politics, BJP strongman BS Yediyurappa's son BY Vijayendra got the Shikaripura ticket. Yediyurappa also managed to get tickets for some of his aides, proving that the former CM has clout.

The BJP has fielded 52 new faces, including those who replace nine sitting MLAs. Fisheries Minister S Angara from Sullia and Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat did not get the tickets.

In Bengaluru, former police commissioner Bhaskar Rao is the BJP candidate from Chamarajpet. Contrary to speculation, senior MLA S Suresh Kumar has been renominated from Rajajinagar. The first list, however, does not contain Somanna’s seat Govindarajanagar and Mahadevapura represented by former minister Aravind Limbavali.

According to sources, the BJP is trying to follow three broad principles in choosing candidates: replace those who have enjoyed senior positions and are nearing retirement, asking fathers to withdraw from the fray if they want tickets for their children, and avoid those facing charges of corruption and sexual misconduct. Based on this, some more sitting MLAs may not get tickets.

The BJP list dominated by Lingayat and Vokkaliga candidates - was finalised after several days of back-to-back meetings. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan - he supervises the BJP’s election effort in Karnataka - said the list is based on “detailed political analysis”.

In Belagavi, former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi - he helped engineer the 2019 defections - managed to convince the BJP on giving his aide Mahesh Kumtahalli the Athani ticket over former deputy CM Laxman Savadi. Two members from the late Umesh Katti’s family - brother Ramesh Katti and son Nikhil Katti - got tickets.

Former IAS officer BH Anil Kumar will face senior Congressman G Parameshwara at Koratagere. Ex-KAS officer LC Nagaraj is the BJP's Madhugiri candidate.