BENGALURU: With not much time left for the November 3 bypolls, political parties have started the hunt for winnable candidates. The bypoll could provide political rebirth for BJP strongman B Sriramulu’s sister J Shanta as her name tops the list of probable candidates for the Ballari Lok Sabha seat.
The fact that the new MPs to be elected in the bypoll will have just about five months of tenure before the 2019 Lok Sabha election has, meanwhile, added to the woes of political parties. Not many are keen to take the plunge in the battle and splurge the resources needed to put up a strong fight in 2019. Former minister C P Yogeshwar is not keen to enter the fray for the Ramanagara bypoll. The BJP is likely to field party district president Rudresh against Anita Kumaraswamy, who is almost certain to be the JD(S) candidate.
BJP has let Sriramulu have a decisive say in choosing the candidate for Ballari seat, which has fallen vacant following his resignation after his election to the assembly recently. His sister and former Lok Sabha member J Shanta and his uncle Sanna Fakirappa are the frontrunners for the BJP ticket here. Congress is contemplating on fielding Venkatesh Prasad, brother of party MLA Nagendra. B Ramprasad is another aspirant whose name is doing the rounds.
As for Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency, party state president B S Yeddyurappa has already hinted at fielding his son B Y Raghavendra.
Though coalition partners in the state are yet to strike a seat-sharing pact, JD(S) is most likely to get Mandya and Congress may contest from Ballari and Shivamogga to put up a united fight against the BJP.
The bypoll for Mandya Lok Sabha seat too has evoked keen interest and JD(S) is seeing intense lobbying for the ticket from former IRS officer Lakshmi Ashwini Gowda and former MLA L R Shivarame Gowda. The candidature of Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, is also being discussed.
BJP is finding it hard to find a strong candidate in Mandya. Though former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok’s name is doing the rounds along with that of farmers’ leader Nanjunde Gowda, efforts are on to draw former minister N Cheluvarayaswamy from Congress and field him as the BJP candidate.
“We are yet to decide on our candidate for Mandya Lok Sabha seat. We will announce our candidate within one or two days,” Deve Gowda said on Sunday.
BJP has convened a meeting of senior leaders on Monday to identify suitable candidates for the bypoll.