Will BJP field ex-CMs Shettar, Bommai in Lok Sabha polls?

Amid speculation that the BJP is planning to field former chief ministers Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar in the Lok Sabha polls, party’s Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa on Thursday said the central leaders discussed the issue.

“Discussions have taken place regarding candidates for all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, including fielding Bommai and Shettar,  Yediyurappa told reporters here. He, however, said no final decision had been taken yet.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and national president J P Nadda held a marathon meeting with the state leaders on Wednesday night on selection of candidates. The state BJP leaders, including Bommai and state president B Y Vijayendra attended the meeting.  

The central leaders took feedback on the sitting Lok Sabha members. The leaders also discussed positive and negative issues for the party in each segment, sources said.  

Basavaraj Bommai

“During the meeting, we discussed candidates for all 28 Lok Sabha seats. The list of candidates, however, has not been finalised yet. We might get clarity in two-three days after another round of discussion with Modi,” Yediyurappa, also a member of the party central election committee, said. 

Yediyurappa hinted that the BJP might allot three seats to its alliance partner JD(S). There is a speculation that the JD(S) may get Hassan, Mandya and Kolar seats and the final decision will be taken by central leaders.

The BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, which was scheduled for Friday, has been postponed. It is likely to take place on March 11. The CEC will take a final decision on candidates, the sources said. Speculations are rife within the state BJP circles that Bommai, who is currently MLA from Shiggaon, may be fielded from Haveri, with party’s sitting MP Shivakumar Udasi announcing retirement from electoral politics after the current term ends.

Shettar in race for Dharwad, Belgaum

Shettar may be fielded from Belgaum (Belagavi) or Dharwad. Belgaum is currently represented by Mangala Angadi, the wife of former Union Minister late Suresh Angadi and Dharwad is represented by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. For Dharwad, the state unit had recommended Shettar and Joshi’s name, sources in the BJP said.

Dr C N Manjunath

The BJP leaders also discussed fielding noted cardiac surgeon and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda’s son-in-law Dr C N Manjunath from Bangalore North segment in place of sitting MP and former chief minister
D V Sadananda Gowda. Though the central leaders were keen on fielding Manjunath from Bangalore Rural segment, the latter was not willing to contest from the Rural seat, sources said.

For coastal Karnataka seats, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi-Chikmagalur and Uttara Kannada, the party top brass is learnt to have sought Sangh Parivar’s advice, sources said.  

But for former minister V Somanna, who is being considered for Tumkur seat, many leaders, who have lost in recent assembly polls, were unlikely to get tickets. Among the party’s 25 sitting MPs, around 8 to 10 may be dropped, sources said.