Karnataka: BJP starts ticket process with internal polls

In a day-long activity, thousands of BJP functionaries voted Friday to decide who the party's candidates should be across 224 Assembly constituencies.

The process took place in all 39 BJP organisational districts. Teams led by senior leaders were formed to visit each district to supervise the voting process.

"More than 20,000 office-bearers participated in the process. They voted for three names of ticket aspirants in the order of their preference," Mysore MP Pratap Simha explained.

Also Read: Karnataka Elections: 20 seats to watch out for

The names of ticket aspirants as suggested by the BJP's grassroots functionaries will be discussed at a core committee meeting comprising district-level office-bearers on Saturday and Sunday. Then, the BJP state core committee meeting will be held in the first week of April to finalise names to be sent to the party's central parliamentary board.

"The party's senior leadership wanted to ask party workers for their opinions as was done in other states. So, an opportunity was given to office-bearers to give their opinions. I'm confident that tickets will be given to those who have support of the people," Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who heads the BJP election management committee, said.

"Booth-level workers, Page Pramukhs, Shakti Kendra members, Mandal team members...we don't use them just for elections. They are on the field round the year," Shobha pointed out.

Bommai to contest from two seats?

Hours after the BJP adopted a novel method of finalising tickets by giving party workers a say, there was a buzz over the possibility of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai contesting from two seats.

Bommai represents Shiggaon in Haveri, which shares its boundary with Davangere.

Buzz is that Bommai is considering a second seat - Davangere North or Channagiri.

In fact, this speculation was first heard when the Panchamasali agitation for reservation peaked last year.

“A section of Bommai's supporters from Davangere North and Channagiri have been strongly batting for him to contest from one of the two seats. Incumbent Davangere North MLA S A Ravindranath is aging and not keen on seeking re-election. Also, Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshppa's corruption case has given rise to speculation that Bommai may opt to contest from there along with Shiggaon," a source explained.