K'taka polls: BJP denies tickets to 7 sitting MLAs in its second list

BENGALURU: The ruling BJP has announced its second list of 23 candidates for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, denying tickets to seven sitting MLAs, including Madal Virupakshappa, who was recently arrested on corruption charges.

The party had released its first list of 189 candidates on Tuesday.

The latest list released on Wednesday does not include Hubli-Dharwad Central segment, from where former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar wants to contest, and Shivamogga city, where sitting MLA and former Minister K S Eshwarappa has announced his retirement from electoral politics.

Shettar has been asked by the party top brass to make way for youngsters, but he has asserted he wants to contest one last time.

The list includes four SC, one ST and two women candidates. There are several new faces in the second list.

Ramachandra Gowda, son-in-law of senior JD(S) leader and MLA G T Devegowda, has got the ticket from Sidlaghatta assembly segment. In Harapanahalli constituency, sitting MLA G Karunakara Reddy, who is the brother of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy - the head of newly formed Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha, has been renominated.

Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshappa, who was recently arrested by Lokayukta Police on corruption charges, was among the incumbent MLAs who were dropped. Shiv Kumar has been fielded from the segment.

In Haveri, sitting MLA Nehru Olekar was overlooked and replaced by Gavisiddappa Dyamannavar, while in Byndoor sitting MLA B Sukumar Shetty made way for Gururaj Gantihole.

Mudigere sitting MLA M P Kumaraswamy was dropped and Deepak Doddaiah was named in his place.

Recently, there was a large-scale protest against Kumaraswamy by a section of party workers in the constituency, when veteran leader B S Yediyurappa had visited there.

Kalghatgi MLA C M Nimbannavar (aged 76) has been replaced by Nagaraj Chabbi who quit Congress and joined the party recently, and in Mayakonda Basavaraja Naik has been given ticket instead of sitting MLA N Linganna.

Davangere North MLA S A Ravindranath (76) was denied renomination; instead Lokikere Nagraj got the ticket.

Discontent seems to be brewing within the ruling BJP in Karnataka, with the party facing the heat after announcing its first list of candidates on Tuesday, with some ticket aspirants who missed the bus openly expressing displeasure on Wednesday.

The party has so far announced candidates for 212 out of total 224 seats in the Assembly.

Voting will take place on May 10 and counting is scheduled for May 13.