CHITRADURGA: After a long delay, the BJP finally announced former deputy CM Govind M Karjol from Vijayapura as its candidate for Chitradurga Lok Sabha constituency on Wednesday.
The septuagenarian politician, who has been a legislator since 2004, was deputy chief minister in the Yediyurappa government and public works minister in the Basavaraj Bommai government.
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A Narayanaswamy, was a strong contender for the seat. However, the party did not consider him in view of the stiff opposition from local BJP workers.
Karjol emerged winner in the race for the seat because of his proximity to former CM BS Yediyurappa, who is a member of BJP’s parliamentary board and the central election committee. Being the member of the party’s central election committee, Yediyurappa will naturally have a say in candidates’ selection from Karnataka.
Karjol, who is a leader of the Madiga community, too faced opposition from local BJP workers last week. They raised slogans, “Go back Narayanaswamy” and “Go back Karjol” and demanded that the party select a loyal local leader. However, after considering various factors, the party announced Karjol, a veteran politician, as its candidate for Chitradurga.
With this, both BJP and Congress have selected “outsiders” as their candidates for Chitradurga. Congress candidate BN Chandrappa was MP from 2014 to 2019. He has the credit of winning the Chitradurga LS seat even during the Modi wave. He is contesting the LS polls for the third time. However, for Karjol, who was defeated in the last Assembly elections from Mudhol by Excise Minister RB Thimmapur, this is the first parliamentary election.
Karjol first won the Assembly elections on a Janata Dal ticket in 1994. In 2004, he joined BJP and was a legislator from 2004 to 2023. He was minister of food and civil supplies, planning and statistics, Kannada and culture, minor irrigation from 2008 to 2013, deputy chief minister from 2019 to 2021, social welfare minister from 2019 to 2020, PWD, major and medium irrigation minister from 2019 to 2023.
As irrigation and social welfare minister, Karjol implemented several development projects in Chitradurga district. He told TNIE that his contribution to the development of Chitradurga will help him win the seat this time. His association with the people of the district and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s good work will help him, he said.
“Chitradurga is a backward district and still faces various issues related to development. I will look into all issues and work for the district’s comprehensive development,” he said.
District BJP president A Murali said the party is ready for the LS elections and all local leaders will work together for Karjol’s victory from Chitradurga.