The ruling BJP core committee in Karnataka which met on Saturday has authorised its state unit president to send the list of probable candidates for the April 17 bye-polls to the high command, after consulting local leaders.
"Bye-polls to Belgaum Lok Sabha, also Basavakalyan and Maski Assembly segments and possible candidates were discussed at the core committee meeting," BJP national general secretary CT Ravi said.
Speaking to reporters, he said it was decided that the list of probable candidates should be sent after gathering opinion from local leadership.
"The state president has been authorised to send the list of probable candidates after discussions with local leaders," he added.
The Belagavi Lok Sabha Constituency became vacant after Union Minister Suresh Angadi of the BJP passed away on September 23, 2020 at All India Institute Of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), New Delhi due to COVID-19.
Bye-polls to Basavakalyan Assembly seats were necessitated following the death of MLA B Narayan Rao of Congress due to COVID-19 in the same month last year.
The Maski seat fell vacant following the disqualification of MLA Prathapagouda Patil who had won in 2018 from the Congress and is now with the BJP.
Indicating that Prathapagouda Patil will be the candidate from Maski, Ravi said, "He (Patil) had resigned as an MLA and come to our party, naturally we will have to do justice to him."
Responding to a question on the Belgaum Lok Sabha bye-poll and talks about giving ticket to late Suresh Angadi's family, he said, "We don't know what the central leadership will decide. The aspiration of (Angadi's) family has also been conveyed, it will be decided."
Names of Angadi's daughter Shradha, along with Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar, MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath are doing the rounds for the Belgaum Lok Sabha seat. Former MLA Mallikarjun Khuba is among the names being mentioned for the Basavakalyan seat.