The central election committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party is set to meet on Sunday in New Delhi to finalise its second list of candidates for the Karnataka polls.
Speaking to the media, BJP Karnataka State President BS Yeddyurappa told reporters that he would be flying to the national capital on Saturday evening. “We will decide on the rest of the candidates on Sunday,” he said.
The party had, on April 8, announced its first list of 72 candidates after the central election committee met.
However, not all was smooth sailing, and the party is still fighting the fires of dissent that has erupted in the state.
On Saturday, followers of incumbent Molakalmuru BSR Congress MLA Thippeswamy’s followers attacked B Sriramulu, who was offered the ticket this time around.
On April 10, BJP leader Jagadish C Metgud and his followers gathered at his residence in Belagavi district’s Bailahongal and marched till the Sangolli Rayanna Circle, shouting slogans against Yeddyurappa. Over 100 followers of Metgud carried posters of Yeddyurappa; they then kept one poster on the circle, threw slippers at it and then set it on fire.
The ticket he was vying for was given to incumbent MLA Vishwanathgouda Patil, who had won the seat in 2013 when he was associated with the Karnataka Janata Paksha.
On April 9, BJP leader and corporator of Yediyur, NR Ramesh, who was aspiring to get the Chikpet ticket, publicly lashed out at the party. He claimed that Union Minister Ananth Kumar was responsible for Uday Garudachar, a businessman, getting the ticket instead of him, even though Garudachar had lost previous elections.
Ramesh also alleged that money played a role in the decision taken by the party high command.
Other disappointed ticket aspirants also alleged that preference was given to those leaders who had joined the KJP with Yeddyurappa in 2013 when he briefly split with the BJP.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Yeddyurappa said that the party leaders are in talks with the disappointed members who did not get the tickets.
Besides, several ticket aspirants have been queuing up outside Yeddyurappa’s Dollar’s Collony residence, hoping to get the ticket.
“Yes, I have taken into account everything the aspirants have to say. The final decision will be made by the high command,” Yeddyurappa added.