BENGALURU: In an effort to wrest the initiative in the run-up to Assembly bypolls scheduled for August 21, leaders of the state unit of BJP have almost finalised candidates for Shikaripura and Bellary (Rural) constituencies, and are in the process of selecting one for Chikkodi-Sadalaga seat.
Sources in the state unit of the party said though an official announcement on candidates was pending, the leaders are set to field former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s son B.Y. Raghavendra in Shikaripura.
In Bellary (Rural), their choice would probably be BSR Congress founder president B. Sriramulu’s sister and former MP J. Shantha as they found it difficult to identify another candidate belonging to Scheduled Tribes (ST) for the reserved constituency.
Sources said for Chikkodi-Sadalga, the name of Mahantesh Kavatagimath has been doing the rounds. Another ticket aspirant and former ZP member Anna Saheb Jolle, too, has been lobbying for the party ticket. Mr. Kavatagimath, however, has the backing of two senior leaders, former minister Umesh Katti and Rajya Sabha member Prabhakar Kore, the sources added.
