Karnataka Elections 2023: Seven MLAs denied ticket by BJP in second list

Seven MLAs include Madal Virupakshappa who was recently arrested by Lok Ayukta on corruption charges and a couple of senior legislators who have crossed 75.

New Delhi/Bengaluru: The BJP's second list released late on Wednesday night did not include Jagadish Shettar who met BJP president J P Nadda earlier in the day to stake his claim to contest from his Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency. The second list of 23 candidates for the May 10 Karnataka assembly elections did not announce a candidate for the seat Shettar sought.

The second list has four SC, one ST and two women candidates, and several new faces. In the second list, Ramachandra Gowda, son-in-law of senior JD(S) leader and MLA G T Devegowda, has got the ticket from Sidlaghatta Assembly seat. In Harapanahalli constituency, sitting MLA G Karunakara Reddy, who is the brother of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy - the head of newly formed Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha, has been retained in the same seat.

Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshappa, who was recently arrested by Lokayukta Police on corruption charges, was among the incumbent MLAs who were dropped. Instead, the saffron party has fielded Shiv Kumar from the Assembly segment.

In Haveri, sitting MLA Nehru Olekar was not given the ticket. His seat was offered to Gavisiddappa Dyamannavar. In Byndoor Assembly segment, sitting MLA B Sukumar Shetty was denied another opportunity. With him out of the way, the seat was handed over to Gururaj Gantihole.

Mudigere sitting MLA M P Kumaraswamy who was embroiled in a tiff with party workers in the constituency was not considered for another chance. The party workers protested against him when the party's senior leader and former CM B S Yediyurappa paid a a visit. Deepak Doddaiah upstaged Kumaraswamy in bagging the party ticket.

Kalghatgi MLA C M Nimbannavar (aged 76) was not reissued the ticket. He was replaced by Nagaraj Chabbi, a turncoat from Congress. In Mayakonda , Assembly segment Basavaraja Naik bagged the seat while the sitting MLA N Linganna was not considered by the party. Another septuagenarian MLA SA Ravindrananh, (76), was not considered for a re-election in party ticket and the seat was offered to Lokikere Nagraj.

Bommai firefights rebels

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said he will be contacting MLAs and leaders who were not given party tickets for the ensuing elections. He said the party will continue to be respectful towards them and recognise their contributions. The CM said he was in touch with those who have not been accommodated as candidates.

"The party has looked after them with respect all these years and their political future will be secure," the CM said. He also had said that he will speak to Laxman Savadi who has expressed his displeasure with a strong reaction against the party decision to drop him. "I will speak to him and sort out the matter," the CM said.

After the Hindutva party denied him the ticket from Athani, a former Deputy Chief Minister Savadi declared that he would resign from the primary membership of the party. On some party leaders deciding to quit politics after being denied ticket by the BJP, Bommai said those leaders were referring to their retirement from the sphere of electoral politics and not active politics.

"Senior leaders will speak to K S Eshwarappa. S Angara is a gentleman. I will speak to him," he observed. A minister and six-time MLA Angara from Sullia constituency in Dakshina Kannada district announced his retirement from politics a day after the first list came out.