In its first list, the BJP has dropped around 12 MLAs, according to senior functionaries.
On Tuesday night, after several back-to-back meetings for five days, the BJP released its first list of 189 candidates for next month's Karnataka election. The list, with 52 new entrants and many old faces missing, was the outcome of a push by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do away with "tainted, jaded and adjustment politics" that has become a hallmark in Karnataka in recent decades, party leaders said.
Facing an aggressive campaign by the Congress that has already announced 166 candidates and the Janata Dal (Secular), which too announced its first set of candidates a while ago, the BJP had to counter many questions over the delay in its list over the last week, with the Congress claiming that the party was struggling to resolve its internal differences.
However, according to senior BJP leaders, the PM made a critical intervention during the meeting of the central election committee on Sunday. He, they said, made it clear that if he has to ask the people of Karnataka to give the party a majority on its own at least once -- the party missed it in 2008 and also in 2019-- the list of candidates should be nothing less than a "proof of intent" and cannot be a repeat of the past lists that could make people question the party's promises.
Karnataka's 224 seats will vote on May 10 for a new government.
"The Prime Minister was clear that with the same old patriarchs and narrative, people will not be convinced. He said the party should make its intent of being serious about the future of the state very clear and it should reflect in the list, which then was worked upon after many more consultations," another functionary said.
In its first list, the BJP has dropped around 12 MLAs, according to senior functionaries.
The selection of BJP candidates for Karnataka this time was based mainly on three metrics, apart from the caste factor, barring exceptions, a senior leader explained. But having faced the fallout of rebels in Himachal Pradesh, the party leadership wanted the list to be a statement that can inspire confidence in people without disrupting the party's chances within the existing social dynamics.
Many of those who were facing allegations or sexual harassment cases or were surrounded by controversies have not been given tickets. The party leadership also decided not to nominate those who had already reached the "pinnacle of their career," which is why senior leaders such as KS Eshwarappa and Jagadish Shettar were asked to make way for others. While Mr Eshwarappa has issued a statement about his retirement, Mr Shettar is likely to meet the party leadership and ask for a chance to contest again. The party is yet to announce candidates for Shivamogga City, from where Eshwarappa's son has sought a ticket, and also for Shettar's Hubballi-Dharwad Central seat.
Nearly 51 candidates from the BJP's first list belong to the politically influential Lingayat community.
The leader quoted above also said the most important change is that this is a departure from "adjustment politics" seen in every election, with the party fielding lightweight leaders against strong leaders of the opposition. Last week, former PM HD Deve Gowda of the JD (S) had remarked that "tactical alliances" between senior BJP and Congress leaders was a regular feature in the state. Senior leaders were also asked to move away from their "comfort zones" to help the party but considering the dynamics of the place, radical changes were avoided, particularly in Bengaluru.
This time however, the BJP has announced the names of Housing Minister V Somanna and Revenue Minister and former Deputy Chief Minister MR Ashok to take on Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar from Varuna and Kanakapura. Both Mr Somanna and Mr Ashok will also fight from Chamarajanagar and Padmanabhanagar. Mr Somanna, who usually fights from Govindaraja Nagar, faces a difficult battle this time.
"It will not only be a test of their leadership but will also help in restricting the movement of the Congress leaders, at least somewhat," the BJP leader added. The requests of many leaders to accommodate their sons or family members in another constituency has also not been accepted fully and was seen as a major point of disagreement.
The MLAs dropped in the first list include Anil Benake from Belagavi north, Yadawad Mahadevappa from Ramdurg, Ramappa Lamani from Gadag, Sanjeeva Matandoor from Puttur, Lalaji Mendon from Kapu, Srinivas Shetty from Kundapura (who recently announced his retirement from politics), NY Gopalakrishna from Kudligi (he has resigned from the party), three-time Udupi MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat, S Angara from Sullia and Goolihatti Shekar from Hose Durga.
Another leader said the views of veteran party leader and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa was "adequately respected and accommodated", with his son BY Vijayendra given the seat of Shikaripura to contest, and his aide Thammesh Gowda making it from Byatarayanapura despite some disagreements.
The clout of former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi in Belagavi also remained unchallenged as he managed to get his loyalist and incumbent MLA Mahesh Kumathalli renominated, scoring over the former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi. The party also announced that minister BS Anand Singh's son Siddharth Singh will contest from his seat Kampli.
"There are some political compulsions, but we want to be clear that while the Congress has given tickets to even people like Vinay Kulkarni and others who face serious charges, we are moving away from that kind of politics. The Congress is trying to cannibalise on anti-incumbency, but they are promoting status-quo in politics," a third BJP leader said.
Knowing that the party is facing a difficult election, the BJP attempted an extensive "Raishumari" (feedback gathering) on April 1 and April 2, where it reached out to at least 300 former and present office bearers, sarpanches and zilla parishad heads on every seat asking them for their candidate preferences in writing. The BJP's election in-charge for Karnataka, Dharmendra Pradhan, said 25,000 workers were consulted. With a format similar to the US presidential primaries, the BJP attempted this exercise at a smaller scale in the Northeast earlier this year. In Karnataka, the party has also took feedback from at least eight different sources, including the RSS lists and extensive surveys done by experts.
Subsequently, rigorous discussions were held by BJP president JP Nadda, national organisation secretary BL Santhosh, co-incharges K Annamalai and health minister Mansukh Mandaviya and general secretary Arun Singh, apart from Mr Pradhan. The final decisions were made on Tuesday at a meeting of these leaders, along with state leaders, with Home Minister Amit Shah.
Caste Matters
On the BJP's list, as many as 32 candidates belong to Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 30 are Scheduled Castes (SC). Nearly 51 candidates from the first list belong to the politically influential Lingayat community, while the Congress has given tickets to 45 Lingayat candidates so far. The BJP had 55 Lingayat candidates in 2018, and 40 had won, as opposed to 17 of the Congress's 43 Lingayat candidates. There are around 40 Vokkaligas in the BJP's first list.
The list also highlights the BJP's focus on Scheduled Tribes. While State Minister B Sriramulu is set to contest from Bellary Rural seat, the party has given tickets to 16 Scheduled Tribes candidates although there are only 13 seats reserved for the community. As an outreach to Scheduled Castes -- another major focus area for the BJP -- those in know of the matter said the party would give as many tickets to Dalits as the Congress. This is to address chances of a consolidation of Scheduled Caste voters in favour of the Congress because of the guarantees the party has made. Also, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is from Gulbarga.
Another party functionary added that the central emphasis of the BJP is also on OBCs, apart from Lingayats. "We are the only party to give a ticket to a Kuruba in the 18 districts of Mumbai Karnataka. That is because we are confident the poor will vote for the PM regardless of caste," the functionary added.