BJP may field Nirmala, Jaishankar from Karnataka in LS elections: Report

In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may field Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar from Karnataka. Accordingly, suitable seats are being scouted for both high-profile ministers, as per a Deccan Herald report. 

Nirmala Sitharaman represents Karnataka and Jaishankar Gujarat in the Rajya Sabha.

Lok Sabha battle

According to the report, the party wants Union ministers currently in the Rajya Sabha to contest the Lok Sabha elections, expected to take place in April-May this year. The BJP has thought of fielding Nirmala Sitharaman from the Dakshina Kannada seat, a saffron stronghold now held by former Karnataka party president Nalin Kumar Kateel.

Bengaluru links

For Jaishankar, there are said to be multiple options. Among the safe seats being considered are Uttara Kannada, another BJP stronghold, as well as Bangalore South and Bangalore Central.

Jaishankar has been frequenting Bengaluru, a city with which he said last week he has “long personal association”. He attended the Rashtriya Military School in the city.