The ruling BJP on Tuesday released the names of 189 candidates in its first list for the Karnataka assembly polls to be held on 10 May. The crucial point is that 54 new faces were given tickets on the lines of Gujarat experiments.
The BJP is confident of returning to power in Karnataka again with an absolute majority, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Wednesday.
Bommai, who was speaking to reporters, said that tickets were given to all the able candidates who have the talent to win the election. The selection of candidates has got a rousing welcome in their respective constituencies.
The party leaders are in constant touch with dissatisfied leaders who failed to get tickets, he said.
CM Bommai further added that he had talked to disgruntled leader Laxman Savadi and asked him not to take any decisions in a hurry. The party helped him while he was in trouble, and it is ready to help in the future as well.
The party is ready to take some decisions to protect his leadership qualities because he is an important asset.
Laxman Savadi, who quit the saffron party after his name was dropped as a candidate. Speculation has been in the air that he may join Congress. CM Bommai termed it irrelevant and said he is not in touch with any party.
It is true that former CM B.S.Yediyurappa, Ananth Kumar, CC Patil, and Savadi came to meet him. However, Savadi is not likely to join the Congress.