Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are likely to contest in the Lok Sabha polls from Karnataka.
“Dr S Jaishankar and Nirmala Sitharaman may contest from Karnataka or from other state constituencies. There is still no clarity about the constituency.” Union Minister Prahlad Joshi told the media during his visit to Karnataka’s Hubbali on Tuesday, February 27, news agency ANI reported.
It is speculated that Nirmala Sitharaman will contest from Bangalore North constituency. Previously, this constituency was held by former Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda.
TNM had reported in October 2023 in the Powertrip newsletter that many of the Rajya Sabha members of the BJP, inducted as Ministers, including Rajeev Chandrashekar, Nirmala Sitharaman, S Jaishankar and Ashwin Vaishnaw might have to contest Lok Sabha polls as BJP is clear is about giving one free pass and they have to prove their mettle later. “There can be a free ticket just once under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after that if need be they should be able to earn their place by winning,” TNM had quoted a senior BJP leader as saying.
Nirmala Sitharaman was elected as a Rajya Sabha MP from Bengaluru in 2022, while S Jaishankar was elected from Gujarat.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra earlier this month had announced that they would be contesting all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka along with the JD(S). The BJP is said to have offered five seats to JD(S). While the BJP hopes to put up a united front, the issue of a slander campaign against Shobha Karandlaje in her Udupi-Chikmagalur Parliamentary constituency has been making news. Posters saying ‘Go Back’ to the Union Minister of State were seen all over Chikkamagalur district. Media reports quoted sources close to Shobha saying that they suspect former BJP MLA of Chikkamagalur CT Ravi to be behind it.
The top leadership of the BJP from five states had met at the party headquarters in New Delhi on February 24 to prepare for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The meeting was presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda, and BJP general secretary BL Santhosh.