BJP list delayed, fear of exodus the reason?

Shyam Sundar Vattam I NT

Bengaluru: With exactly a month left for the Assembly polls, the BJP list of candidates has been inordinately delayed which has led to reports that there is a lot of haggling going on between state and central leaders over the list.

The BJP was supposed to release the list of candidates on Monday afternoon after a two-day brainstorming meeting of the Parliamentary Board presided over by Party National President J.P.Nadda with influential leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in attendance.

The meeting started on Saturday and was supposed to conclude on Monday morning with the finalization of the list. But Delhi leaders are said to be unhappy with the candidature of some of the sitting MLAs and want them to be replaced by others.

But state leaders are not for it considering the caste and religion factor. It is said that former CM and Parliamentary Board member B.S.Yediyurappa has his own list of candidates who he wants to be alloted tickets at any cost which is not to the liking of many.

The former CM is said to have requested the high command to give tickets to all those MLAs who came from the Congress Party and Janata Dal (Secular) to help install the BJP government in 2019. The Congress Party has already closed the doors on these legislators and has announced the candidates for a good proportion of the constituencies.

According to Yediyurappa, denying them tickets would amount to cheating them as they would be left with no option except to join the JD(S) or contest as independent candidates in the coming polls. Sources close to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told News Trail that the BJP feared the exodus of at least a dozen legislators if they are denied tickets.

The Congress party is facing a shortage of candidates for many constituencies because of which it is poaching on BJP and JD(S) MLAs and ex-MLAs too. Already, many legislators are miffed over not being made ministers, and denying them tickets would not only make them angry but ruffle the feathers of their support base.

The BJP had been accused of using and dumping leaders and that charge would be proved in case of denial of tickets to sitting MLAs, said sources. At the same time, the party is keen on giving tickets to new faces in a few constituencies as the incumbent MLAs have spoilt the party's image.

Sources pointed out that Modi and Shah are taking a keen interest in the choice for every constituency and giving their suggestions. The duo wants the party to disprove the 'anti-incumbency' factor and come back to power. Sources said one or two more rounds of meetings are expected.