Field old faces, retain Fort Bengaluru

BJP State General Secretary N Ravikumar said these leaders know the issues of their constituencies, and are connected to the local people which will help them win.
Image used for representative purposes only.
Image used for representative purposes only.

BENGALURU: The ruling BJP has worked out a strategy to keep its hold on the state capital: The party has given tickets to most of its sitting MLAs, and is fielding former BBMP councillors in constituencies represented by non-BJP MLAs.

Of the 189 candidates announced on Tuesday, 13 BJP MLAs are from Bengaluru, where the BJP has 15 MLAs at present. All the turncoats who joined the BJP and won the 2019 bypolls have got tickets. These MLAs have won at least twice and are considered ‘’winnable’’ candidates, according to a party leader. 

Initially, there was a buzz that a few leaders, including Rajajinagar MLA Suresh Kumar and Basavanagudi MLA Ravi Subramanya would not get tickets, but they made it to the list. On the other hand, Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavali’s name was not announced. “Former councillor Umesh Shetty’s name is doing the rounds for Govindarajanagar, represented by V Somanna, who will now be contesting from Varuna and Chamarajanagar. The BJP is looking for a new face. There is also pressure to give the Hebbal ticket to former MLA Katta Subramanya Naidu.” Limbavali, meanwhile, went to New Delhi on Wednesday to meet party leaders. 

A leader told TNIE it is important for the party to win more seats in Bengaluru. “Party leaders feel they cannot take a risk at this juncture. Since there is no BBMP Council, MLAs have worked as councillors to reach out to people. They share a strong rapport and know the people’s pulse, so it is not a great idea to change them,” the leader said. 

Interestingly, BJP is fielding former BBMP councillors in constituencies represented by Congress and JDS -- Padmanabha Reddy from Sarvagnanagar, H Ravindra from Vijayanagar, Shivakumar from Shanthinagar, N Chandra from Shivajinagar, CK Ramamurthy from Jayanagar and NR Sreedhar Reddy from BTM Layout.

BJP State General Secretary N Ravikumar said these leaders know the issues of their constituencies, and are connected to the local people which will help them win.  Former mayor Katte Sathyanarayana of the BJP, who was hoping to get the Basavanagudi ticket, is now contesting as an independent candidate.  

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