Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 8: The BJP on Sunday April 8 announced the first of candidates for the crucial Karnataka Assembly elections.
The first list has names of candidates for 72 of the 224 consituencies.
The list was announced after a meeting of the BJP's central election committee at the party's headquarters in Delhi.
The meeting was chaired by BJP national president Amit Shah. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union home minister Rajnath Singh, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa and others were part of the meeting.
L to R: S Angara, Halady Srinivas Shetty, Sunil Kumar
The list has no sensational surprises. Candidates from Mangaluru and Udupi constituencies have not been announced yet.
Sitting MLAs S Angara of Sullia and V Sunil Kumar of Karkala have been retained as candidates from their respective constituencies. Other sitting BJP MLAs have also been given the tickets.
Halady Srinivas Shetty, who rejoined the BJP a couple of months ago after resigning as independent MLA, has been given the ticket from Kundapur.
BJP state president and former chief minister Yeddyurappa will contest the elections from Shikaripur and former deputy chief minister Eshwarappa from Shivamogga.
The all-important Karnataka Assembly elections, touted as a rehearsal for the 2019 general elections, will be held on May 12, and the results will be declared on May 15.
Here's the list: