The BJP on Wednesday released its second list of 23 candidates for the May 10 Karnataka assembly elections.
Nagaraja Chabbi, a Congress leader who recently joined BJP, is to contest from Kalghatgi constituency.
The list does not include the name of Jagadish Shettar. Shettar, a six-term MLA and a former chief minister had met BJP president J P Nadda earlier in the day to stake his claim to contest from his Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency.
Shettar, the sitting MLA from Hubli-Dharwad Central, said that he had been asked by the BJP central leadership not to contest the elections. He, however, told the leadership that he would contest the election again, and requested them to give him an opportunity. He told them that their decision was not acceptable to him and urged the party top brass for its reconsideration.
On Tuesday, BJP released the names of candidates, including 52 new faces to overcome anti-incumbency, for 189 seats in the 224-member assembly.
In a bid to make the fight tough for the Congress’ chief ministerial aspirants, the BJP fielded revenue minister R Ashoka against state Congress president D K Shivakumar in his pocket-borough Kanakapura and housing minister V Somanna against former CM Siddaramaiah in Varuna, which the Congress considers a safe seat.
Filing of nominations will begin on April 13 and continue till April 20. Voting will be held on May 10 and the counting of votes will be done on May 13.
(With inputs from ENS)