BJP under pressure to replace sitting MPs with fresh faces

Maqsood Maniyar

Bengaluru: The state BJP is finding it difficult to retain its 25 sitting MPs as there are growing demands within the party to have them replaced with new candidates.

Moreover, an independent in Sumalatha Ambareesh won from Mandya won with the saffron party’s support in 2019. JD(S) entered into a pre-poll alliance with the BJP, meaning their lone MP, Prajwal Revanna from Hassan, is also a saffron party ally.

This leaves Congress MP from Bengaluru Rural DK Suresh as the lone Opposition MP out of possible 28.

In the BJP camp, fear of loss and infighting are among the reasons as to why there is a chorus to have incumbent MPs replaced.

For instance, last week Union minister of state for chemicals and fertilizers and BJP MP from Bidar Bhagwant Khuba walked out of a BJP meeting discussing the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies, including his own.

Khuba’s candidacy was opposed by two MLAs from Bidar district namely former minister Prabhu Chavan (Aurad) and Sharanu Salagar (Basavakalyan).

They alleged that Khuba had tried to defeat them both but failed. Another sitting parliamentarian whose candidacy was opposed was BJP MP from Koppal Karadi Sanganna.

Many within the saffron party’s state unit want all three MPs from coastal Karnataka – Anantkumar Hegde (Uttara Kannada), Nalin Kumar Kateel (Dakshina Kannada) and Shobha Karandlaje (Udupi-Chikkamagaluru) – replaced.

Other MPs who face the prospect of replacement are Mangala Angadi (Belagavi), Raja Amareshwar Naik (Raichur) and Y Devendrappa (Ballari).

Meanwhile, V Srinivasa Prasad from Chamarajanagara may be asked to step aside due to frail health.

Bengaluru North MP DV Sadananda Gowda on the other hand has announced retirement from electoral politics.

GM Siddeshwara from Davangere and Ramesh Jigajinagi from Vijayapura are also under the scanner.

JD(S) wants at least 4 seats

BJP ally JD(S) has been pushing for as many constituencies as possible under the seat sharing arrangement.

The regional party has its sights set on anywhere between four to six seats where they believe they have winning candidates.

Seats such as Hassan, Mandya, MysuruKodagu, Kolar, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural and Chikkaballapura have been shortlisted.

However, they are considering uprooting sitting MLAs such as HD Kumaraswamy (Channapatna), GT Devegowda (Chamundeshwari) and former MLA SR Mahesh and fielding them as Lok Sabha candidates.

Congress moots fielding ministers

Congress led by party national president and Karnataka native Mallikarjun Kharge is wary of not having enough winning candidates, which is making them consider fielding sitting ministers in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet.

Jarkiholi, who wants the Belagavi ticket to be handed to his daughter, was being considered for the seat instead. Mahadevappa, who is an option for Chamarajanagara was also advocating for his son Sunil Bose to be given the ticket.

Seventime Kolar MP and minister Muniyappa may be asked to return to the stronghold he lost in 2019.

Minister for Forests and Ecology Eshwar Khandre might be asked to contest from Bidar.

However, not all of them, especially those in the CM’s camp are keen on contesting Lok Sabha elections.