BJP names20 for K'taka LS polls, drops 9 MPs

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The BJP released its second list of 72 Lok Sabha candidates on Wednesday which included 20 candidates from Karnataka, springing many surprises as it dropped controversial MysuruKodagu MP Pratap Simha and shifted Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje from her usual seat-UdupiChikkamagaluru.

As many as nine sitting MPs do not find place in the list. The surprises included Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar from the Mysuru royal family who displaced twotime MP Simha.

In Haveri, Shivakumar Udasi was replaced by former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai while another ex-CM, DV Sadananda Gowda was replaced by Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje in Bengaluru North.

Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Council Kota Srinivas Poojary will be contesting from UdupiChikkamagaluru in her place. Former state BJP president and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel is being replaced by Captain Brijesh Chowta.

Ballari MP Y Devendrappa was replaced by B Sriramulu. He belongs to the Nayaka community.

Tumakuru MP GS Basavaraj has been replaced by former minister V Somanna, who has been angling for the ticket. Davangere MP GM Siddeshwara is being replaced by his wife Gayathri Siddeshwara.

Koppal MP Karadi Sanganna was replaced by Dr Basavaraj Kyavator while ailing V Srinivas Prasad, the Chamarajanagar MP, was replaced by S Balaraj.

Incumbent MPs who have been retained are Annasaheb Jolle from Chikkodi, PC Gaddigoudar from Bagalkote, Ramesh Jigajinagi from Vijayapura, Umesh Jadhav from Kalaburagi, Bhagwanth Khuba from Bidar and Pralhad Joshi from Dharwad, former CM BS Yediyurappa’s son BY Raghavendra from Shivamogga, PC Mohan from Bengaluru Central and Tejasvi Surya from Bengaluru South.

Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, ex-CM Khattar in BJP's second list of 72 candidates

Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal and Anurag Singh Thakur, and three former CMs, including Haryana's Manohar Lal Khattar, figured in the BJP's second list of 72 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.

Khattar and Goyal will be making their Lok Sabha poll debut from Karnal in Haryana and Mumbai North respectively. Former Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat will fight from Haridwar.

In Beed in Maharashtra, Pankaja Munde has replaced her sister Pritam Munde.

It's Dr Manjunath vs DK Suresh in B’luru Rural

 The Bengaluru Rural seat, considered a Vokkaliga stronghold, will see an interesting battle between noted cardiologist and the son-in-law of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda Dr CN Manjunath who will contest on the BJP symbol, and sitting MP and Congressman DK Suresh, brother of Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

Modi devotee for life, says brave-faced Simha

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, who was defiant a day prior, appeared to be in a much more conciliatory tone on Wednesday, pledging his loyalty to PM Narendra Modi and vowing to campaign for Mysuru royal family scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar, the BJP candidate from his seat.