The BJP on Tuesday released its first list of 189 candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023. While Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will be contesting from Shiggaon, former CM B S Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra will be contesting from the Shikaripura constituency.
The announcement comes hours after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, along with state party leaders, had a meeting with party president J P Nadda at the latter’s residence in New Delhi.
Assembly elections in the state are scheduled to be held on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13. The filing of nominations will begin on April 13, with the poll notification being issued, and the last day for filing papers is April 20.
The BJP, aiming to return to power in Karnataka with absolute majority, has set a target of winning at least 150 of the total 224 seats in the Assembly. While the Congress has already announced a total of 166 candidates, including Karnataka Sarvodaya Party’s Darshan Puttannaiah for whom it has extended support in Melukote constituency, in two lists, JD(S) has announced one list of 93 candidates.
The BJP is looking at a tough contest in the upcoming polls. Karnataka, the only state in south India where the BJP has a government, has never voted an incumbent back to power in 40 years. In both its two terms in government (2008-13 and 2019 to now), the BJP did not win a clear majority in Karnataka, but is hoping that the Narendra Modi factor will erase the anti-incumbency against it, and see it past the half-way mark of 113 in the 224-member Assembly.
Earlier in the day, former deputy chief minister and Kuruba leader K.S. Eshwarappa (74) announced his retirement from electoral politics at his Shivamogga residence even as the senior leaders were busy finalising the list of candidates in Delhi.
“I have written to the party president J.P. Nadda expressing my will to retire from electoral politics and not to include my candidature from any constituency. I would like to work for the party as it has never got a majority. The party gave me ample opportunities and positions of power from the booth level to deputy chief minister. I am not making the announcement out of fear of being denied the ticket. The state leaders have sent three names from each constituency and I will work for any candidate put up by the party,” said Eshwarappa, the Shimoga MLA.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar (67) who too figured in the list of seniors who are most likely to be denied a ticket to contest in the upcoming Assembly polls citing age, seniority, power and position, expressed his disappointment over the party’s decision.
