With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielding 52 new faces in its first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections, the party’s national general secretary CT Ravi said on Wednesday that the BJP stands apart from other parties because it continues to experiment. BJP fielded CT Ravi from the Chikmagalur constituency. “I express my gratitude towards the party for announcing my candidature. 52 new people have been given the opportunity to contest this election. BJP is called a party with a difference because it keeps doing new experiments. BJP is strong on the ground in the state,” CT Ravi exclaimed. He stated that the party’s second list of candidates will be announced by April 20. “The second list of candidates for the Karnataka elections will be announced on April 20. Today, in Karnataka, the Congress and JD(S) are fighting alone, despite their repeated claims that they will fight together against the BJP “He went on to say. The BJP on Tuesday released the first list of candidates for 189 of the 224 Karnataka Assembly seats, with 52 new candidates receiving tickets.
Arun Singh, national general secretary of the BJP, said at a press conference, “52 new faces, eight women, nine doctors, five lawyers, one retired IPS officer, three retired government employees, and eight social activists have been given tickets.”
He also stated that BY Vijendran, the son of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, was given the ticket.
Former Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao was nominated by the party to represent the Chamrajpet constituency. State Ministers – Shashikala Jolai, R Ashok, Prabho Chauhan, Shankar Muniyakappa, Muniratna, ST Somashekar, VC Patil, Varity Vasuraj, Murgesh Nirani, CC Patil, Sunil Kumar, Shivram Hebbar have been given tickets.
State Assembly Speaker Vishwaser Hegde has been given the ticket.
“V Somanna MLA from Govindraj Nagar has been given a ticket from Chamaraj Nagar and Varuna Assembly. It will directly challenge Congress leader Siddaramaiah,” he added.
In this list, tickets have been given to Lingayat-51, Vokkalinga-41, Kurba-7, SC-30, ST-16 and 32 from the OBC community.
Meanwhile, supporters of sitting BJP MLA from Belagavi North, Anil Benake staged a protest on Tuesday evening after he was denied a ticket in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections.
Further, supporters of BJP MLA Mahadevappa Yadawad protested in Ramdurg constituency in Belagavi over the ticket being denied to him. Chikka Revana who joined the BJP recently got the ticket from the constituency. According to BJP sources, former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has begun to rebel and has been summoned to Delhi.
“Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has taken a rebellious stance.” In fact, the party’s high command is opposed to fielding him, but Shettar disagrees. He’s been summoned to Delhi. Shettar will be asked to join the party’s ranks. According to party sources, he is unlikely to receive a ticket for the upcoming elections.
According to BJP sources, the wife of late Union Minister Ananth Kumar will not be given a ticket in the upcoming elections.
“Tejaswini Ananth Kumar will not be given a ticket, but she may be given a larger role in the organisation in the future.”