Bengaluru: The BJP, which has announced 20 out of 28 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections from Karnataka, showcased a medley of seasoned campaigners and fresh faces in various parliamentary constituencies in the state.
Among the notable candidates is Yaduveer Krishnadatta Wadiyar, the great-grandson of the Mysuru Maharaja is contesting from the Mysuru seat. This move reportedly left Pratap Simha upset.
Simha had faced criticism following a serious security breach in Parliament, where intruders managed to obtain passes from his office and set off gas canisters.
In the last parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah tried to convince Yaduveer to fight the election from Mysuru on BJP ticket, but the Mysuru royal scion declined.
Experts had claimed that Yaduveer was skeptical about winning the election after his father Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar lost on BJP ticket in 1991 against Congress candidate and Devaraj Urs’ daughter Chandraprabha Urs.
Another prominent candidate Basavaraj Bommai, a former Karnataka chief minister, will run from Haveri.
Union ministers Shobha Karandlaje and Pralhad Joshi are also in the fray, with Karandlaje contesting from Bengaluru North and Joshi from Dharwad. Additionally, Tejasvi Surya, a BJP MP, will be contesting from Bengaluru South, while Karnataka BJP chief BY Raghavendra is fielded from Shivamogga.
Other candidates contesting are Pralhad Joshi, Shobha Karandlaje, Bhagwanth Khuba, B Sriramulu, V Somanna, and Ramesh Jigajinagi.
The BJP, however, has not finalised its candidates for Belagavi, Raichur, Chitradurga, Chikkaballapur, and Uttara Kannada constituencies yet.
Additionally, there are discussions about offering a couple of seats to the JDS as part of the seat-sharing arrangement.
In Koppal constituency, Dr Basavaraj Kyavator, a medical professional and the son of former Kushtagi MLA K Sharanappa, has been nominated by the BJP, marking his entry into the political arena. He takes over from incumbent MP Karadi Sanganna, who served the segment for two consecutive terms.
Meanwhile, for the Ballari (ST) seat, the BJP chose B Sriramulu, an experienced leader from the Valmiki community and a former deputy chief minister. Sriramulu, who faced defeat in the 2023 Assembly polls from Ballari Rural, succeeds Y Devendrappa. He previously represented the Lok Sabha seat in 2014.
The BJP has also made a strategic reorganisation within its candidate selection, reflecting its focus on maintaining or improving their electoral performance in some of the constituencies.
Gayathri Siddeshwara stepping into the political arena to represent the BJP in the Davanagere constituency following her husband's tenure shows a continuation of political legacy within the family.
Meanwhile, MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary's nomination to represent the BJP in the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency brings forth a change from the incumbent MP and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje.
In Dakshina Kannada, the BJP has nominated Capt Brijesh Chowta, a retired army personnel, as their candidate. Capt Chowta succeeds Nalin Kumar Kateel, who represented the constituency for three consecutive terms since 2009.
There has been a significant change in the BJP's choice for the Tumakuru constituency as well as it fielded V Somanna, a senior leader from the Lingayat community. V Somanna replaced the incumbent MP GS Basavaraj.
Notably, Somanna had previously contested from Chamarajanagar and Varuna constituencies in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections but was unsuccessful.
In a significant development, the BJP has retained the candidacy of several prominent figures in various Lok Sabha seats. Among these stalwarts are: Annasaheb Jolle from Chikkodi, PC Gaddigoudar (Bagalkot), and six-time MP Ramesh Jigajinagi (Bijapur-SC).
Additionally, Dr Umesh Jhadav will contest from Gulbarga (SC) constituency, while Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Bhagwanth Khuba will seek reelection from Bidar.
Furthermore, Joshi, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, who has been representing Dharwad since 2004, has also been reaffirmed as the BJP's chosen candidate.
The BJP's selection strategy appears to encompass a mix of established leaders and newer faces to maintain its electoral dominance in the state. Karnataka proved to be a stronghold for the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where they won 25 out of 28 seats with a significant vote share.
