Karnataka polls: BJP fields Mahesh Tenginakai from Hubballi-Dharwad Central

The BJP on Monday announced the candidature of its state general secretary Mahesh Tenginakai from Hubballi-Dharwad Central, a seat held by former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who has joined the Congress after being denied ticket by the ruling party.

Tenginakai, having RSS background, also belong to Banajiga sub-caste of Veerashaiva-Lingayat. Shettar, who also belongs to Banajiga, announced that he would contest from Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency from Congress ticket.

The party, which released the list of 10 candidates for the Karnataka assembly polls, dropped its senior leader Arvind Limbavali from Mahadevapura (SC) serve constituency but, in an apparent bid to placate him, has fielded his wife Manjula Aravind Limbavali. Manjula is also sister of S Raghu, who is BJP sitting MLA from C V Raman Nagar.

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The BJP has so far named 222 candidates for the May 10 polls to the 224-member assembly. Till now the party has dropped 19 sitting MLAs from renominating them.

However, the party is yet to announce the candidates for Shivamogga City constituency, which was represented by senior leader K S Eshwarappa and Manvi assembly segments. The last date for filing nominations is April 20.

The BJP has dropped its sitting MLA S Ramdas from Krishnaraja in Mysuru and fielded BJP Mysuru city unit president T S Srivatsa. In Koppal, the party fielded Manjula Amaresha Karadi, daughter in law of Koppal BJP Lok Sabha member Sanganna Karadi.

Earlier Karadi, who was demanding an assembly seat for himself, had threatened to resign from Lok Sabha and contest from Koppal assembly seat from JD(S) ticket.

As a damage control exercise, when the party refused to give ticket to him and asked him to suggest names, he reportedly favoured his daughter- in- law, sources in the BJP said. In the 2018 assembly elections, the BJP fielded his son Amaresh, but he lost to the Congress candidate Raghvendra Hitnal.

From Govindaraj Nagar, which was represented by Housing Minister V Somanna, the party fielded Umesh Shetty, hotelier, former BJP corporator. From the Hebbal segment, though former Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu was trying for the ticket, the party fielded his son Katta Jagdish.

Following is the candidates list :

Nagthan (SC) : Sajeev Aihole, Sedam : Rajkumar Patil, Koppal : Manjula Amaresh, Ron : Kalakappa Bandi, Hubballi-Dharwad-Central : Mahesh Tenginakai, Hagaribommanahalli (SC) : B Ramanna, Hebbal : Katta Jagadish, Govindraj Nagar : Umesh Shetty, Mahadevapura (SC) : Manjula Aravind Limbavali and Krishnaraja : Srivatsa.