BJP's Candidate List From Karnataka For LS Polls: Who Are Likely To Get Ticket & Who Might Miss Out?

The BJP will reportedly drop several sitting MPs for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Amid a lot of speculations, one name that has been widely debated is - Mysuru MP Pratap Simha.

After winning the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Simha was hoping that he might get the BJP ticket to register a hat trick from the Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency. However, the reports in the media claim that he is unlikely to get it and the scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Wadiyar might replace him, this time.

"It is very difficult to do politics in Mysuru," Simha said in a late-night video on Monday. He said that since 1989, no one has won consecutive times from Mysuru.

"I have left it to Goddess Chamundeshwari. If given the ticket, I will win by a margin of Rs 3 lakh," he said, stating that party workers are with him. An online campaign demanding the BJP central leadership to give him the ticket has been started by his fans.

However, the BJP is likely to drop 10 sitting MPs, this time. Also, there are a few surprises with some incumbent MPs being replaced, senior party leader R Ashoka indicated on Tuesday.

In the 2019 general elections, the BJP had secured 25 out of the total 28 seats. Additionally, an independent candidate (Sumalatha) supported by the party also emerged victorious in Mandya.

Former Karnataka CM and union minister DV Sadananda Gowda has already announced that he will not be contesting the polls, this time.

Meanwhile, the Congress and the JD(S), which had formed a coalition government at the time and contested the election jointly, had won just one seat.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly said that the party's central leadership has considered the views of state leaders over the candidates during the Central Election Committee meeting on Monday night. They are set to finalize the nominees and make an announcement shortly.

"Detailed discussion has taken place about all 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in the meeting that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, national President J P Nadda and select leaders from the state. Central leadership has taken the opinion of the state leaders for selection of candidates," the news agency quoted the former Deputy Chief Minister as telling reporters in the national capital.

According to him, nominees for almost all the seats have been finalised. It is now for the central leadership to take the final call and make the announcement in one or two lists.

"So there may be some changes. I cannot predict as to how many sitting MPs may get a ticket, it is left for the party high command to decide. But change is certain, BJP is a party that constantly keeps changing and gives opportunities for fresh faces, so surprises may be expected," he added.

On asking whether Pratap Simha would get a ticket, R Ashoka said, "Discussions have happened about the seats, I cannot reveal what was discussed. Sitting MPs must have hope and work, the decision of the high command is final. No one should lose hope, there are chances till the last minute."

When asked about Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar getting a party ticket from Mysuru seat, he said, " I don't know. I have not contacted Yaduveer or spoken to him. Whether others have contacted, I don't know about it."

Who Are Likely To Get Tickets This Time?

• Union Minister Pralhad Joshi for Hubballi-Dharwad
• Tejasvi Surya for Bengaluru South
• P C Mohan for Bengaluru Central
• Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar for Belagavi
• Former CM Basavaraj Bommai from Haveri
• Govind Karjol From Bijapur
• Captain Brijesh Chowta From Dakshina Kannada
• Ramesh Katti from Chikkodi

Who Might Miss Out?

• Nalin Kumar Kateel from Dakshina Kannada
• Anantkumar Hegde from Uttara Kannada
• Pratap Simha from Mysuru
• Ramesh Jigajinagi from Bijapur
• Anna Saheb Jolle From Chikkodi

As per the rumors, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje might be shifted from Udupi-Chikmagalur to the Bengaluru North segment.

JD(S) is considering contesting in three seats: Mandya, Hassan, and Kolar. There is a possibility of a JDS candidate contesting the poll on the BJP symbol. It's speculated that noted cardiac surgeon and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda's son-in-law, Dr CN Manjunath, may contest from the Bangalore Rural segment. This constituency currently has DK Suresh, brother of sitting MP and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, as the Congress candidate once again.