Karnataka polls: BJP to release 2nd candidate list by April 20

The second list of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates for the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections 2023 will be announced by April 20. The party is yet to announce its candidates for 35 seats.

Speaking to reporters, BJP National General Secretary, CT Ravi said,''Today, in Karnataka, Congress, JD(S) fighting alone, unlike they keep saying that they will fight unitedly against BJP.''

Earlier on Tuesday, the saffron party declared candidates for 189 constituencies out of the total 224, and the list includes 52 new faces.

At least nine legislators including Ministers Angara (Sullia) and Anand Singh (Vijayanagara), have not been given the ticket.

Announcing the names at a press conference in New Delhi, BJP's Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh said 32 of the candidates belong to OBCs, 30 Scheduled Castes and 16 Scheduled Tribes. There are 8 women candidates in the first list.

The first list has nine doctors, five advocates, three academics, one retired IAS officer, one retired IPS officer, three retired government employees and eight social activists, he said.

Most of the MLAs who defected and joined BJP, thereby helping it to come to power, and also succeeded winning the subsequent bypolls on a BJP ticket, have retained their seats.

The filing of nominations will begin on April 13, with the poll notification being issued, and the last day for filing papers is April 20.

The BJP, aiming to return to power in Karnataka with absolute majority, has set a target of winning at least 150 of the total 224 seats in the Assembly.