SHIVAMOGGA/BENGALURU : The BJP on Thursday declared retired Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes department Siddaramaiah as its candidate for Mandya Lok Sabha constituency within minutes after inducting him into the party. The former IRS officer has been chosen to be the party’s candidate in Mandya after BJP leadership failed in its reported efforts to woo former minister Cheluvarayaswamy from Congress.
The decision was taken after former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok reportedly declined to contest.
State BJP president BS Yeddyurappa announced the decision at a party workers’ meet in Shikaripur in Shivamogga. He denied reports of attempts to destabilise the coalition government in the state.