After several days of intense deliberations, the BJP on Tuesday finally released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections. “Young leadership has been given preference in selection of the candidates,” said union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, poll incharge for the state.
Senior BJP leader Arun Singh said that in the list of 189 candidates, there are 52 new faces as the party believes in giving the younger generation a say in governance. “Besides the new faces, 32 candidates are from OBC, 30 from SC and 16 from ST. There are also 8 women in the first list,” said Singh. The BJP has fielded chief minister Basavaraj Bommai from his traditional Shiggaon seat for Karnataka assembly polls. BY Vijayendra, son of former Karnataka CM and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa, will contest from the Shikaripura seat. It was earlier rumoured that he may contest from Varuna against Congress’s Siddaramaiah. However, Yediyurappa had played down the speculation. BJP national general secretary C T Ravi will contest from his traditional Chikmagalur seat. State minister R Ashoka to contest from 2 seats: Padmanabhanagar and Kanakapura. Congress chief D K Shivakumar will be fighting from Kanakapura.
