The party has finalised candidates for graduates and teachers’ constituencies
Wipro Ltd's chairman Azim Premji calls on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Thursday (Photo: KPN)
BENGALURU: Leaders of the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who are leaving no stone unturned to retain the edge over other parties and in turn the crucial position of Chairman of the Legislative Council, have finalized the candidates for Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies—three new faces including former minister Murugesh Nirani’s brother Hanumanta Nirani.
For South Graduate constituency, the leaders picked M.V. Ravishankar instead of senior leader G. Madhusudhan, and Hanumanta Nirani for North-West Graduates constituency. In West Teachers’ constituency, loyal party worker Nagaraju and not former chief minister Jagadish Shettar’s brother Pradeep Shettar would take on Janata Dal (Secular) candidate and former minister Basavaraj Horatti, while for North- West teachers’ constituency, the party has decided to field Arun Shapura for another term.
Sources in the party said elections would be held for 25 seats of the upper House from local authorities’ constituencies. At present, the BJP has seven seats, but to retain the Chairman’s post, it has to win 10 plus seats in these elections.
If the party does not garner adequate number of seats, it would be forced to part with the Chairman’s post.
Therefore, the leaders have instructed the cadre to win 10 plus seats in the Council elections. Besides, for four seats, elections will be held to the Council from the Teachers and Graduates constituency in July 2016.
In June 2016 seven more vacancies would arise, while three nominations would be made in February 2016.
Of the total strength of 75 seats in the Legislative Council, 39 seats would be vacant between December 2015 and July 2016.
Based on its strength in the Assembly, BJP would be able to elect only one member to the upper House from the Legislative Assembly. Therefore, the party has decided win maximum number of seats in polls from local authorities, a senior BJP leader told this newspaper. To add to their woes, too many ticket aspirants are lobbying for tickets, making it difficult for state unit leaders to finalize candidates for all 25 constituencies. They, however, have assured tickets to few sitting members and asked them to do campaign in their respective constituencies.
They plan to release of list with a good mix of new faces and some sitting MLCs. They have decided to field sitting members Kota Srinivasa Poojari, Mahantesh Kavatagi Matt, R.K. Siddaramanna, and Arun Shapura. From Madikeri local authorities, the leaders have decided to field Suja Kushalappa, president of BJP Madikeri unit and brother of former minister Appachu Ranjan. The leaders have decided to field party worker Raghu from Chamarajangara constituency though former chief minister B. S. Yeddyurappa has backed the candidature of K.R. Mallikarjunappa.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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