This story is from October 10, 2018

In Shivamogga, Ballari, it’s all in the family for BJP

In Shivamogga, Ballari, it’s all in the family for BJP
BENGALURU: Bereft of a decent cadre base in the old Mysuru region, the state BJP on Tuesday failed to announce candidates for the Mandya Lok Sabha and Ramanagara assembly byelections scheduled for November 3. However, the party did name the “obvious” candidates in Shivamogga and Ballari — both nominees are kin of state BJP leaders.
Soon after the party’s core committee met in Bengaluru, the BJP announced it will recommend the names of B Y Raghavendra (son of state president B S Yeddyurappa) and J Shantha (sister of BJP MLA B Sreeramulu) as their official candidates from Shivamogga and Ballari Lok Sabha seats.

Yeddyurappa (Shivamogga) and Sreeramulu (Ballari) were the two sitting MPs who resigned ahead of the 2018 Karnataka assembly elections. They contested and won from Shikaripura and Molkalmuru respectively. Raghavendra was the sitting MLA from Shikaripura and Thippeswamy, Sreeramulu’s once-trusted ally from his former party BSR Congress, was the MLA from Molkalmuru. Both Raghavendra and Shantha were elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009.
For the Jamakhandi assembly bypoll, the party has decided to go with Shrikanth Kulkarni, their losing candidate from the May 2018 election. However, it was unable to finalise candidates for the Mandya Lok Sabha and Ramanagara assembly seats.
“For the Mandya and Ramanagara byelections we have decided to wait and watch. The final decision will be taken by Yeddyurappa,” BJP spokesperson Arvind Limbavali said.
According to party leaders, MLA R Ashoka and former MLA C P Yogeeshwara will not contest as was widely speculated in the last two weeks. “There are options and there are aspirants, but we will wait for the JD(S)- Congress alliance to announce the names,” said a party leader.

At the ground level though, BJP party workers say the party has very few candidates to choose from — unless it fields an outsider with money and muscle power. Speculation is rife that the party is considering the names of former MLC Ashwatnarayana (native of Nagamangala), Vijay Kirgandur (film producer and relative of Malleswaram MLA, C N Ashwathnarayana) or Madhu Chandan (founder of Organic Mandya) for Mandya.
Meanwhile, the BJP core committee announced teams of three to six members for each of the five bypolls. While K S Eshwarappa will lead the team in Shivamogga, Sreeramulu will be at the head of the team for Ballari. Former CM Jagadish Shettar will be team leader along with Bilgi MLA Murugesh R Nirani for the Jamakhandi bypoll. The party has given Ashoka charge of Mandya and Union minister D V Sadananda Gowda and Yogeeshwara responsibility of Ramanagara.
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