More leaders hit the streets after BJP announces 2nd list

Voices of dissent once again surfaced in the BJP on Tuesday after several ticket aspirants failed to make it to the second list of candidates announced by the party on Monday.

The BJP has announced 82 candidates on its second list. In all, the party has announced candidates for 154 of the total 224 constituencies.

The party is already facing the threat of at least five rebels, including S Thippeswamy (Molakalmuru), Jagadish Metgud (Bailahongal), contesting against its candidates. BJP president B S Yeddyurappa’s efforts to convince them promising other responsibilities in the party has failed.

On Tuesday, former minister Sogadu Shivanna raised a banner of revolt against the party for denying him the ticket to contest from Tumakuru City, a seat he represented in the Assembly.

Shivanna, who had identified himself with the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade has blamed Yeddyurappa for denying him the ticket. The ticket has been given to former MP GS Basavaraj’s son G B Jyothi Ganesh.

In Kalaghatagi in Dharwad district, ticket aspirant C M Nimbannavar’s supporters called for a day-long bandh. They burnt tires and staged a protest in front of Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi’s residence.

Supporters of Belur Gopalakrishna continued their protest in Sagar in Shivamogga district.

In Jamkandi in Bagalkot district, former minister Murgesh Nirani’s brother Sangamesh Nirani has threatened to contest as a rebel, if he is not given a ticket. The party has decided to field Srikanth Kulkarni from the constituency.

Former MLC Sashil Namoshi is, said to be, in talks with the JD(S), since his name did not figure on the list. Namoshi is keen to contest from Gulbarga (North). The party has announced Chandrakanth B Patil as its official candidate here.

The party is also witnessing rebellion in Puttur, Mahalakshmi Layout, Bangarpet, Maski and Gubbi segments. Meanwhile, sitting MLA and former Speaker K G Bopaiah, whose name too did not figure on the second list, met Yeddyurappa in Bengaluru.

The BJP has given the ticket to all sitting MLAs except in three constituencies - Molakalmuru, KGF, and Virajpet. In Molakalmuru, Thippeswamy has been replaced by Sriramalu, while in KGF, the party has given the ticket to sitting MLA Y Ramakka’s son Sampangi.

Bopaiah’s name has been kept pending as an internal survey indicated that he may not win the polls from Virajpet, party sources said.