The BJP State Core Committee on Tuesday finalised the names of B.Y. Raghavendra for Shivamogga and J. Shanta for Ballari Lok Sabha seats, and Srikant Kulkarni for Jamkhandi Assembly seat. Their names have been recommended to the party’s Central Election Committee for approval.
However, the party, which does not have a strong hold in Mandya Lok Sabha and Ramanagaram Assembly seats, is trying to woo leaders from the ruling combine, especially Congress, for contesting the byelections from here. The committee has authorised party State president B.S. Yeddyurappa to take a call on the candidature for these two seats. “Mr. Yeddyurappa will take a suitable decision after analysing the ongoing political developments [discontent in a section of the Congress leaders over their party giving away these two seats to the JD-S],” BJP State general secretary Arvind Limbavali told reporters in Bengaluru on Tuesday. It is learnt that BJP’s Vokkaliga leader and former Deputy Chief Minister R. Ashok did not show interest though several leaders repeatedly suggested that he contest from Mandya in a bid to strengthen the party organisation in this Vokkliga heartland.
Meanwhile, the committee appointed in-charge leaders for all constituencies going to polls. They are — Shivamogga: K.S. Eshwarappa, G.M. Siddesh, Shivakumar Udasi, Sunil Kumar, P. Rajiv and D.N. Jeevaraj; Ballari: Ramesh Jigajinagi, B. Sriramulu, V. Somanna, Basavaraj Bommai, C.T. Ravi, N. Ravi Kumar, Prabhu Chauhan, Ramanna Lamani; Mandya: R. Ashok, Pratap Simha, Nagendra, and D.S. Veeraiah; Jamkhandi: Jagadish Shettar, Murugesh Nirani, Govind Karjol, Arvind Limbavali, P.C. Gaddigoudar, and Prabhakar Kore; Ramanagaram: D.V. Sadandada Gowda, C.P. Yogeshwar, Muniraju Gowda, and A. Narayanaswamy.