The Karnataka BJP is expected to send a list of possible candidates to the party high command after a two-day meeting with the core committees of 39 district units concluded on Sunday. State BJP leaders interacted with representatives of 20 district units on Saturday and 19 on Sunday at a private resort near Bengaluru. It is the only party yet to announce any candidate for the Assembly polls scheduled for May 10. Several sitting legislators, including Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshappa who is in Lokayukta custody in a corruption case; Haveri MLA Nehru Olekar who was sentenced to two-year jail for diverting MLA funds to his sons, and others are unlikely to get tickets following opposition from local BJP units, sources said. There were angry exchanges during discussions about potential candidates for some seats in Belagavi and Chikkodi organisational districts after former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi tried to push the candidature of three of his aides. This led MLA Balachandra Jarkiholi to apologise on behalf of Ramesh, his brother. Ramesh, according to sources, insisted on fielding Mahesh Kumathalli and Shrimanth Patil from Athani and Kagwad respectively. The two, along with Ramesh, jumped ship from the Congress to the BJP in 2019. Former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi is also an aspirant from the Athani constituency and the BJP is said to be not too keen on fielding Kumathalli again from there. The party also does not want to repeat Patil from Kagwad. Ramesh, sources said, also insisted on having one of his close aides as the candidate in the Belgaum Rural constituency to take on Laxmi Hebbalkar. These demands did not sit well with the party leadership, especially BJP Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa, who was left angry. Balachandra then apologised to party leaders. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi is expected to hold a separate meeting with leaders from Belagavi to iron out the differences. Sources said the candidatures of Virupakshappa and Olekar were opposed by district leaders from Davanagere and Haveri owing to fears that fielding Virupakshappa or Olekar could damage the party. They said it would allow the Opposition to attack the ruling party over its stance on corruption. There were also discussions on various aspirants for the Shivamogga constituency, currently represented by BJP MLA K S Eshwarappa. While he was keen on having his son contest from the seat, BJP leaders such as MLC Ayanur Manjunath and Dr Dhananjay Sarji are also eyeing the constituency. Manjunath, meanwhile, has threatened to quit the BJP and contest from other parties or as an Independent, if he is not fielded. It is also learnt that BJP could move Transport Minister B Sriramulu to the Bellary Rural constituency, which he has represented four times. Sriramulu contested from Molakalmuru and Badami in 2018 and lost Badami narrowly to Congress leader Siddaramaiah.
