From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Apr 11: With just a day left for commencement of the filing of nominations for the May 10 assembly polls in Karnataka with the Election Commission set to issue the official notification for the elections, the ruling BJP is still undecided on its list of candidates even after three days of confabulations.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is Delhi to attend the all-important BJP Central Parliamentary Board meeting on the selection of candidates, indicated the party is yet to finalise the names of candidates for the 224 constituencies.
“The BJP list of candidates will be released in two phases soon," Bommai told media persons in New Delhi on Tuesday, April 11.
The list could be released late tonight or on Wednesday, he said.
Bommai said the former minister and Shivamogga City MLA K S Eshwarappa has written a letter to the BJP National President J P Nadda that he would withdraw from electoral politics.
The former minister had been saying this in the last few days but they had told him that his experience was required, he said.
The Chief Minister said as the senior party leader has written the letter directly to Nadda, the national president would take a call.
Bommai, however, said: "Eshwarappa must continue in politics but contesting in the election was left to him.’’
New practice starting in BJP
The Chief Minister said a new practice is growing in the ruling BJP.
“The Congress Party has given a ticket to 92-year-old Shamanur Shivashankarappa and that is the difference between the BJP and Congress Party. In BJP, senior leaders are deciding not to contest on their own,” he said.
“We have spoken with former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who has sought one more term in view of development works. The same has been brought to the notice of the party higher-ups,’’ Bommai said.
He made it clear that issues of no other leaders came up for discussion.
“I am in constant touch with former Deputy Chief Minister and party MLC Lakshman Savadi. As Mahesh Kumtalli was one among the 16 MLAs who were responsible for the installation of the BJP Government in 2019, Savadi been asked not to take any decision in haste,” he said.
'Development through BJP'
Bommai said the BJP has brought in a lot of changes in the country.
“So far, there was an anti-incumbency wave but now there is pro-incumbency everywhere,” he added.
The chief minister said the BJP has prepared a road-map for its campaign and electoral strategy.
To a pointed question on whether those involved in corruption charges or in sex CDs will be given party tickets, Bommai said: “The party has a clear policy on the selection of candidates. The choice of the candidates will be done strictly in accordance with the party’s policies,” he added.