Karnataka: BJP announces list of candidates for upcoming December 5 bypolls
BJP releases list of candidates from 14 constituencies out of the 15 constituencies for Karnataka bypolls. However, two disqualified MLAs, who joined the BJP, are in trouble now.
FollowBengaluru: The saffron party has remained loyal to the disqualified MLAs as they have accommodated 13 rebel leaders and given them a ticket to contest the upcoming bypolls to 15 constituencies on December 5.
The saffron party has announced M Shravan (who is not a disqualified member) for Shivajinagar constituency and held back one constituency namely Ranebennur and haven’t announced the candidate for this constituency. Rebel leaders Shivanand Patil, Muniratna and R Shankar haven’t been given tickets. Two of the 17 constituencies, Maski and RR Nagar, aren’t going to polls as the case is still pending in the apex court.
Deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi missed a ticket and the opportunity is now with disqualified MLA Mahesh Kumatahalli.
The candidate list includes the names of B C Patil, Mahesh Kumatalli, Srimanthagouda Patil, Ramesh Jarakiholi, Shivaram Hebbar, Anand Singh, K Sudhakar, Bhairathi Basavaraj, S T Somashekar, K Gopaliah, MTB Nagaraj, K C Narayanagowda, H Vishwanath and M Sharavan.
The first list of BJP candidates states as follows:
1. Mahalakshmi Layout – K Gopalaiah
2. Hoskote – MTB Nagaraj
3. Yeshwanthpur – ST Somashekar
4. KR Pete – KC Narayangowda
5. Gokak – Ramesh Jarkiholi
6. Athani – Mahesh Kumtahalli
7. Yallapur – Shivram Hebbar
8. Kagwad – Shrimanth Patil
9. Hirekerur – BC Patil
10. Hospet – Anand Singh
11. Chikkaballapur – K Sudhakar
12. Hunsur – AH Vishwanath
13. KR Puram – Byrathi Basavaraj
14. Shivajinagar - M Sharavan (who is not one of the disqualified MLAs)
17 MLAs were disqualified earlier this year during the Congress-JD(S) coalition government by the then-Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar. 16 of them joined the BJP, while Roshan Baig has refrained from joining the party.
On Wednesday (November 13), they were granted relief by the Supreme Court to contest bypolls. The apex court also upheld their disqualification.
Karnataka will go to polls on December 5 for the seats that were vacated when the rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs were disqualified. Their disqualification caused the collapse of the HD Kumaraswamy administration and paved the way for BS Yediyurappa’s return to the chief minister’s seat.
The disqualified MLAs are now a happy lot and are confident of winning the upcoming bypolls on December 5. Only time will tell if these MLAs will win the bypolls and get a Cabinet berth in chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s government.
