Lok Sabha polls 2024: Intense factionalism poses big trouble for BJP in candidate selection
Confident that Narendra Modi’s charisma will again do the trick, every leader in BJP is trying his or her best to contest the Lok Sabha battle
The ruling Congress has named candidates for seven of Karnataka’s 28 Lok Sabha constituencies, but the BJP is still grappling with problems in selecting its candidates. Confident that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma will again do the trick, every BJP leader is trying his or her best to get a ticket to contest in the southern state. But the saffron party is facing resistance against sitting MPs in at least 10 Lok Sabha seats.
These include Bidar, Udupi-Chikmagalur, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Mysuru, Dharwad, Bengaluru North, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Koppala and Tumkur.
Former chief minister and BJP strongman BS Yediyurappa is trying to douse discontentment with certain leaders who he believes are favourites to secure the nomination.
Infighting in BJP
Factionalism among the party leaders has come to the fore, especially in Chikkamagaluru and Tumkur. In Udupi-Chikmagalur, Shobha Karandlaje, the Union minister of state for agriculture and current MP from this constituency, has been met with “Go back” slogans from angry BJP workers. Despite all efforts by party leaders, the resentment against her refuses to die down.
Resistance to minister
Senior leader and former BJP general secretary CT Ravi desires to be fielded from this constituency. But Karandlaje, who reportedly enjoys the support of Yediyurappa, is confident of contesting from here again.
Some BJP sources say Karandlaje could be fielded from Bengaluru North. But sitting MP and former chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who earlier expressed a desire to quit electoral politics, now says he has all the credentials to contest again -- and from Bengaluru North.
Sadananda Gowda told reporters he was also a ticket aspirant from Bengaluru North.
Other troubled MPs
Karandlaje told The Federal that the opposition to her was a conspiracy to keep her away from the Lok Sabha. Similar is the predicament of incumbent Pratap Simha in Mysuru-Kodagu seat. Speculation is rife that the BJP wants to field Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, scion of the erstwhile Mysuru Royal family. Wadiyar could replace incumbent Simha though Union minister for parliamentary affairs Prahlad Joshi is backing Simha.
Bommai, Eshwarappa
While Joshi is fighting for Simha, he himself is not confident of getting a ticket from Dharwad, according to BJP sources. Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who quit the Congress to join the BJP, is seen as a potential competitor for Joshi.
Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai is in the limelight as party leader KS Eshwarappa is seeking ticket for his son KE Kantesh from the Haveri constituency. Sources in BJP said Bommai’s name is also doing the rounds for Haveri. Yediyurappa has reportedly asked Eshwarappa to accompany him to Delhi but the latter told The Federal that he had refused the offer as he presented his case to the high command.
Former agriculture minister BC Patil is also seeking a ticket from Haveri. Uttara Kannada MP Ananth Kumar Hegde, who remained ‘inactive’ for the past four years, allegedly for health reasons, is back in action. Former Karnataka Speaker Vishweshar Hegde Kageri also aspires to contest from Uttara Kannada and claims he has the blessings of senior leaders.
Khubha’s travails
In Tumkur, former minister V Somanna is an aspirant. But hundreds of party workers staged a noisy protest demanding tickets to another party leader, JC Madhuswamy. Sitting MP and Union minister Bhagavanth Khubha is riddled with problems in Bidar. Aurad MLA Parbhu Chauhan opposes Khubha’s re-nomination and appeals to the party to find a new face to represent Bidar.
Fingers crossed
A senior BJP leader told The Federal: “While the Congress is setting its electoral appeal on the state government’s five key guarantees, the BJP has opted for a cautious path and is likely to retain incumbent MPs.”
Even if it is believed that the BJP may risk a candidate change, aspirants including CT Ravi, Karandlaje, Sadananda Gowda, V Somanna, Pratap Simha, Ananth Kumar Hegde, Khubha and Joshi have their fingers tightly crossed.
