Lok Sabha election 2024: Why BJP dropped sitting MPs, fielded new faces in Karnataka?

The BJP had won 25 of the 28 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

In its second list, the BJP named 20 Karnataka candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. However, it replaced nine sitting Lok Sabha MPs and fielded eight new faces. According to reports, many of them were dropped. The BJP also brought in some fresh faces to contest in the Congress-ruled state.

The party had won 25 of the 28 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Which MPs have been dropped?

Former chief minister Sadananda Gowda from Bangalore North, former state BJP unit Chief Nalin Kumar Kateel from Dakshina Kannada and Prathap Simha from Mysuru were dropped.

Simha, who was involved in the Parliament security breach row last year, has been replaced by Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar of the Mysore royal family. After the list was released, Simha said he was “proud the Mysore royal family wishes to live like ordinary people rather than stay indoors with air conditioning as kings”.

Gowda, who had announced retirement from electoral politics in November, has been replaced by Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje. Some other MPs who have been dropped are GS Basavaraju from Tumkur, Karadi Sanganna Amarappa from Koppal, Y Devendrappa from Bellary, and V Srinivas Prasad from Chamarajanagara.

Which are the new faces?

Cardiologist C N Manjunath, the son-in-law of JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda, will take on Congress leader D K Suresh, the brother of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

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This constituency is considered a Vokkaliga stronghold. By fielding Manjunath here, the BJP hopes to give the Deve Gowda family a tough fight. The family is known to be the face of the community.

Captain Brijesh Chowta, who replaced Kateel, is also a new entry. Chowta, who is now the state secretary of BJP, served in the 7th battalion of the Gorkha regiment.

Calculated move

The BJP brought in fresh faces to also maintain a balance in some seats. “They have given tickets to those, who, if denied, could have sabotaged the BJP’s prospects. There was also no alternative in some of those seats,” a senior BJP leader told News18 on condition of anonymity.

For example, a caste calculation went into consideration when the party fielded senior leader V Somanna from Tumakuru. Somanna, a Lingayat, is known to have a good rapport with the Tumakuru-headquartered Siddaganga Mutt. The Mutt is known to have a strong influence on the Lingayat community. Somanna was also upset after having lost the Assembly polls in 2023.

Basavaraj Bommai, under whose leadership the BJP won 66 out of 224 seats in the last Assembly polls, has been accommodated in the Haveri seat.

According to BJP spokesperson S Prakash, the list is a “balanced one”. “Winnability is the criteria. The BJP will sweep the election and will win more than 20 seats,” he told News18.

The BJP has been trying hard to make inroads in South India. Of the 127 seats in five southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Union Territory Lakshadweep, the BJP won only 29 in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Of these, 25 came from Karnataka and four from Telangana. The party drew a blank in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh.