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Shobha, Ravi in race for ticket to contest from Udupi-Chikmagalur

The BJP has reportedly decided to field former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda from the Bangalore North constituency. This puts to rest the deadlock over the selection of the candidate for the seat, as there were a number of aspirants. The BJP central leadership took the decision in consultation with the State unit.

While Gowda had been insisting that he be allowed to  contest from Bangalore North, the party had preferred former deputy chief minister R Ashoka to contest. It wanted Gowda to contest from Mysore. Ashoka had initially agreed, but later developed cold feet, apprehensive that by entering national politics he might lose his hold on the State unit of the party.

Ashoka did not want Gowda to contest from Bangalore North and lobbied for Malleswaram MLA C N Ashwathnarayana. Former minister Shobha Karandlaje also sought to contest from the constituency, resulting in a stalemate. On Sunday, the party central leadership is learnt to have told Ashoka that either he contest or leave the decision of the candidature to the party.

With Ashoka not responding, the party decided to give the ticket to Gowda. Former minister C H Vijayashankar is likely to be offered the ticket for the Mysore seat. The party has reportedly asked Karandlaje to contest from Udupi-Chikmagalur. However, Chikmagalur MLA and former minister MLA C T Ravi is said to be opposing her candidature and insisting that he be given the ticket.

The party is yet to finalise its candidates for Tumkur and Bidar constituencies. Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has sought that his candidates (sitting MP G S Basavaraj and Suryakanth Nagamarapalli) be given the tickets. However, a section in the BJP top brass has opposed their candidature.

The BJP core committee is likely to meet on March 5 in Bangalore to finalise its first list comprising names of candidates for 18 to 20 seats. Senior leader Arun Jaitley is likely to participate in the meeting.

On Monday, the BJP held a meeting of its election management committee to decide on allocation of election and campaign-related responsibilities among party functionaries.

Speaking on the occasion, party national general secretary Ananth Kumar claimed the Modi wave in the State coupled with the “misgovernance” of the State Congress government and the UPA government at the Centre will help the BJP secure a majority of the 28 Lok Sabha seats from Karnataka. Former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa predicted that Siddaramaiah will be forced to step down soon after the Lok Sabha elections.