Firefighting before BJP’s final list

BENGALURU: Faced with opposition over the criteria adopted for distribution of tickets, BJP is likely to replace at least 8-10 candidates who figured in its first and second lists. This has reportedly delayed the release of final list of candidates.


The party has also decided to field two more MPs – Udupi-Chikkamagaluru BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje from Yeshwantpur and Koppal MP Karadi Sanganna from Koppal.

While the name of Karandlaje has already been cleared, party sources said Sanganna is still awaiting the nod of BJP national president Amit Shah. “A final call will be taken by Shah and other leaders on Thursday night,’’ a source added.

If everything goes according to plan, she will take on ST Somashekar of Congress whom she had defeated in the 2008 assembly polls. The JD(S) has fielded TN Javarayi Gowda, who will officially launch his campaign on Thursday.

In 2013, Karandlaje, who quit BJP to join BS Yeddyurappa’s KJP had lost in

Rajajinagar

against BJP’s S Suresh Kumar.

Though Karandlaje has denied reports that she would contest from Yeshwantpur, a senior leader, quoting her, said she wanted to keep it a secret till the last day of nomination as it is expected to cause heartburn among other MPs in the state who were vying to contest assembly elections.

A party functionary said Yeddyurappa had sent the names of 8-10 candidates requesting the leadership to replace them, citing rebellion in the party ranks.

Among those likely to be replaced are NL Narendra babu (Mahalakshmi Layout) and Mahesh Tenginakai (Kalghatagi). While former corporator N

Nagaraj

may replace Babu, C M Nimbannanavar may replace Tenginakai.