Bengaluru: The BJP conducted a new experiment by fielding 73 new faces for this time’s Assembly elections,by dropping 23 sitting MLAs. Out of those, 7 places are in rebellion, and Hubballi-Dharawad Central is the epicenter of the rebellion.
Currently, the election leadership has been taken directly by the party High Command. This is the first time that the BJP leaders, who had previously been indifferent to the Karnataka election and relied on the state’s leaders, have directly selected candidates themselves. The party introduced new faces by bringing the list of candidates through the election system from the state committee and conducting operations in the constituencies of many MLAs and former MLAs. Even the state unit did not expect such a big experiment. The BJP has attracted attention this time through a surprise choice and has to face the heat of rebellion.
Constituencies of 23 sitting MLAs have been changed, giving opportunities to new faces. Hubballi-Dharawad Central Constituency is particularly notable in this regard.
Former Chief Minister Jagdish Shettar, a BJP stalwart and from a family with a background in the Sangh Parivar, was not given a ticket, but he revolted against the decision and taunted the High Command that the election contest was certain. When the seniors did not bend to his will, he joined the Congress and entered the fray as a candidate. Opposite to Shettar stands the man who held the organisational responsibility under him. This is the sensational field of rebellion this time.
Apart from this, Shivamogga city is another important area where there is rebellion. Eshwarappa announced his retirement from election politics as directed by the High Command and demanded tickets for his family. However, the party gave a ticket to a worker. The ticket aspirant Ayanur Manjunath, who was a local BJP leader, rebelled and entered the fray from JD (S). Thus, the heat of rebellion will hit the BJP.
The process of submitting nomination papers has been completed, and the state BJP leaders have come forward to convince the rebels in the arena. State leaders have reached the arena as directed by the High Command. April 24 is the last day to withdraw nomination papers, and the party will try to persuade those who contested from other parties and those who joined the fray without any party to withdraw their papers. They are going to get as many nomination papers as possible.
MLAs like Angara, Sukumar Shetty, and former corporators like Katte Satyanarayan, who raised the flag of rebellion without getting tickets, and local leaders announced that they would join the fray as rebels without getting tickets. However, they have been persuaded not to submit their nomination papers. The party will now try to persuade the rebel leaders who have submitted their nomination papers as non-party candidates.