The BJP’s decision to give primacy to fresh faces in its first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in Karnataka has miffed some of the senior leaders in the state, most of whom are planning to contest as rebels or switch party colours.
The party has included 52 new faces in the first list of 189 candidates, announced in Delhi on Wednesday, and left out a former chief minister, two former deputy chief ministers, an incumbent minister, and at least two other popular lawmakers who are now exploring options to stay alive in electoral politics.
Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, one of the least controversial BJP leaders to occupy the top post, former deputy chief ministers K. S. Eshwarappa and Laxman Savadi, fisheries minister S. Angara, Udupi MLA Raghupathy Bhat and member of legislative council R. Shankar have already reacted in different ways.
While Eshwarappa and Angara abruptly “retired” from electoral politics, Savadi — one of the most influential Lingayat leaders and an MLC — decided to quit the BJP and his council membership on Wednesday. Bhat and Shankar expressed disappointment at being dropped.
Two other MLAs, Lalaji R. Mendon and Sanjeeva Matandoor, were also left out, with the party giving no indication that the dropped lawmakers will be included in the next list for 35 seats.
Apart from the 52 new faces, the BJP has included 32 OBC candidates, 30 candidates from the scheduled castes, 16 from the scheduled tribes and nine women in the first list.
Supporters of the 74-year-old Eshwarappa protested in Shimoga, his long-time constituency, late on Tuesday. Several BJP leaders, however, welcomed his “retirement” decision as a model for seniors to follow, while chief minister Basavaraj Bommai sought his continued participation in the party.
The resignation of Savadi, a long-time loyalist of B. S. Yediyurappa, and the others openly venting their anger will become a new challenge for the party in the poll-bound state.
A visibly upset chief minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters on Wednesday that he was in touch with all the leaders who were unhappy at being denied tickets. “I am in constant touch with them and the party high command will also talk to them. I have told them not to take any abrupt decision.”
“He has a good future in the party and I am in touch with him,” Bommai said when asked about Savadi.
But Savadi said he would do "whatever my voters want me to" when asked if he was joining the Congress, as was the speculation. “I am even ready to jump into a well if they ask me to,” he said.