Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jul 30: BJP has finalized its list of candidates for the bypolls being held for three vacant assembly seats in the state on August 21. Bypolls are being held for Shikaripura, Chikkodi, and Bellary assembly constituencies. Vacancies were created with the resignation of B S Yeddyurappa, Prakash Hukkeri, and B Sriramulu, who earlier represented these constituencies, but got elected as Lok Sabha members recently.

BJP state president, Prahlad Joshi, informed on Tuesday July 29 that the names of B Y Raghavendra for Shikaripura, Mahantesh Kavatagimath for Chikkodi, and Obalesh for Bellary, have been sent for approval to the party high command. Raghavendra happens to be former Shimoga MP and son of former chief minister and current Shimoga MP, B S Yeddyurappa. Mahantesh is an MLC at present. Obalesh happens to be the personal assistant of MP, Sriramulu, and Sriramulu has lot of clout in Bellary.

Obalesh earlier worked as first grade assistant in the department of rural development and panchayati raj, before resigning from the post and working full time for Sriramulu.

Joshi said that K S Eshwarappa, Jagadish Shettar and R Ashok have been entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing arrangements at Shikaripura, Chikkodi, and Bellary constituencies respectively.

Congress however, is yet to decide on its candidates in these constituencies, it is learnt, as there are several high-flying aspirants from all these constituencies. It is said that Shantaveerappa Gowda, B C Patil, and Kumar Bangarappa, are aspiring for Shikaripura ticket, while Asundi Honnurappa, B Ramaprasad and N Y Gopalakrishna are vying with each other to bag Congress candidature from Bellary. The situation is almost clear in Chikkodi, where Ganesh Hukkeri, son of Prakash Hukkeri, is likely to be the party's choice.

From JDS, H Baligar and Gulihatti Shekhar have emerged as ticket aspirants from Shikaripur.