K'taka polls: BJP releases 82 names in 2nd list

New Delhi: A day after its Central Election Committee's meeting, BJP has released its second list of 82 candidates for the forthcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections on Monday.

Repeating the Uttar Pradesh's scene, the saffron party is focusing more on winnability, no Muslim or Christian candidate has been given tickets. A total of 32 Lingayats, about 10 Vokkaligas, and 20 OBCs have been given tickets so far.

But surprisingly, few 'tainted' members also managed space in the second list. Former ministers Katta Subramanya Naidu, Krishnaiah Shetty and Haratalu Halappa who were in jail, have also got tickets. Most importantly, it includes Somashekhar Reddy, the elder brother of tainted mining baron G. Janardhan Reddy and son of late Chief Minister S. Bangarappa from Bellary city.

G Janardhan Reddy is an accused in an illegal mining case. Krishnaiah Shetty is also an old associate of Yeddyurappa and is a suspect in the BSY land scam, has been fielded from Malur.

Three defectors—Kumar Bangarappa, NL Narendra Babu, and Sandesh Swamy—also feature on the list. Kumar Bangarappa will contest from Sorab.

Where Congress has fielded chief minister Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra from Varuna, BJP is yet to announce candidates is that same constituency, for which Yeddyurappa's son B Y Vijayendra is seen as a strong contender.

On another side, AIMIM extended its support to former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda's Janta Dal (Secular) and according to its chief Asaduddin Owaisi, both the national parties, Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have failed to live up to the expectations and hope of the people of the southern state.

"Kumaraswamy should become the chief minister and the party led by Deve Gowda should be ruling Karnataka," the MP said. Kumaraswamy is the son of HD Deve Gowda.

Even Telangana chief minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao visited the poll-bound state and visited JD (S) camp. KCR's involvement in the Karnataka Assembly elections by the side of the JD(S) seemingly aims to achieve twin objectives – extend his footprint in national politics as an advocate of the Federal Front and checkmate his arch-rival in his home state, the Congress.

Meanwhile, BJP on April 8 had declared its first list of 72 nominees that included its chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa, and senior leaders K S Eshwarappa and Jagadish Shettar.

The Assembly elections in 224 constituencies are scheduled on May 12 and the counting will be held on May 15.