The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its second list of 23 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka elections. Madal Virupakshappa, the sitting MLA of Channagiri, has been dropped from the list after he was arrested for accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh in March. Instead, the BJP has decided to field Shiv Kumar from the constituency.
The second list, released on Wednesday, April 12, snubs six other sitting MLAs in Haveri, Mudigere, Davanagere North, Mayakonda, Kalghatki and Byndur. Of these, two have been convicted in corruption cases — Neharu Olekar from Haveri and MP Kumaraswamy from Mudigere. They have been replaced with Gavisiddappa Dyamannavar and Deepak Doddiah respectively. Instead of Davanagere North MLA SA Ravindranath, who is 76 years old, the party will field Lokikere Nagaraj from the constituency.
In Byndur, hundreds of supporters showed up at sitting MLA Sukumar Shetty’s residence demanding a ticket for him. However, the BJP chose to field Gururaj Gantihole instead. The BJP has also snubbed CM Nimbannavar from Kalghatki, and has chosen to field Nagaraja Chabbi, a former Congress leader who recently switched sides. N Linganna, the sitting MLA of Mayakonda constituency, was also denied a ticket as Basavaraja Naik will be fielded.
In Kolar Gold Fields, the party has given a ticket to Ashwini Sampangi again, after she lost from the constituency in the 2018 elections. Ashwini is the daughter of former legislator Y Sampangi, who was convicted in 2012 in a bribery case. She lost to Congress leader Roopakala, who is the daughter of veteran party leader and former Union minister KH Muniyappa. The list also includes Prakash Khandre from Bhalki, who will stand against his brother and Karnataka Congress working president Eshwara Khandre.
With the second list, the BJP has announced candidates from 212 out of 224 Assembly constituencies. Candidates from 12 seats are yet to be announced, including the constituencies of former minister KS Eshwarappa and MLA Arvind Limbavali. In its first list, the party included BY Vijayendra, son of BS Yediyurappa, to contest from Shikaripura. Ministers R Ashoka and V Somanna will take on Congress supremos DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah in Kanakapura and Varuna respectively.