BENGALURU: The BJP is yet to release its list of candidates for the Assembly elections in the state, though it held marathon meetings for three consecutive days in Delhi.
The party was expected to release it on Monday. While Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said the list will be announced on Tuesday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated it is likely on Wednesday.
“The list is in its final stage. We had marathon meetings and discussed each Assembly constituency. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is not in Delhi and he is expected to return Tuesday evening. We will hold a meeting with Shah and PM Modi again and then announce the list,” Joshi told reporters in Delhi.
However, Bommai, who was also in Delhi, said the list will be released Tuesday late night or Wednesday. “A roadmap for the election was also discussed. BJP has some guidelines and based on that tickets will be given. There are many buzzes, and not all are true,” he added.
The BJP has held marathon meetings at district, state and national levels for the past 10 days. After getting the names cleared at the ground level, the ball is now in the national leaders’ court.
“It’s a democratic exercise. Right from the booth president to the highest parliamentary board approval, it’s going through the whole process,” a senior BJP leader told The New Indian Express.
‘Delay in list should not affect paper filing’
While other parties have released their lists and candidates have started campaigning, the ruling BJP is still in the process. Sources said some aspirants whose names have been finalised have got calls from the CM to keep their documents ready for filing nomination papers. “The delay in announcing the list should not hamper their nominations,” the sources added. Former CM BS Yediyurappa, who is part of the Central Election Committee, took part in the meetings chaired by Modi and BJP national president JP Nadda. After landing at Kempegowda International Airport on Monday, Yediyurappa told reporters that the candidates’ list will be announced on Tuesday.
Candidates for most of the constituencies have been finalised, except 15 to 20, he said. Yediyurappa said the high command’s decision is final. Maybe a few of them will not get tickets. The sources said Yediyurappa had earlier stated that a list of candidates for 170 to 180 constituencies will be announced by Monday evening. But within a couple of hours, Bommai said the list is unlikely on Monday.
Yediyurappa is back without finalising the list. “There is confusion and chaos in the party,” the sources added. The sources said the party's's high command is not in favour of a few candidates and is planning to field new faces. Many survey reports have not given a complete majority to the BJP. Hence, the party is leaving no stone unturned to retain power and is not willing to take risk of fielding the same candidates.