Bengaluru: The BJP Central Committee on Monday released its second list of 82 candidates for May 12 Assembly Polls. The BJP had announced 72 candidates, including a majority of sitting MLAs and Ministers from other parties in its first list announced on Apr.8.

In the second list, the party has accommodated Sanna Fakirappa, kin of B. Sriramulu and close aide of Reddy Brothers from Ballari (ST) seat. The youngest of Reddy Brothers, G. Somashekar Reddy has been given the ticket to contest from Ballari city.

The Lingayat-heavy second list aims to woo the community that is split over religious minority tag row. The party is yet to announce the names of candidates for 70 seats which include Varuna, where State BJP Chief B.S. Yeddyurappa wants to pit his son Vijayendra against Chief Minister Siddharamaiah’s son Dr. Yathindra and Chamaraja, Krishnaraja and Chamundeshwari Assembly segments of Mysuru.

With BJP stalwart and Dalit leader V. Sreenivasa Prasad retiring from electoral politics, his son-in-law B. Harshavardhan has been given the ticket from Nanjangud (SC) seat. Harshvardhan is the grandson of late former Minister B. Basavalingappa, who was a member of D. Devaraj Urs Cabinet. The other names in the list include Haratalu Halappa from Sagar, Katta Subramanya Naidu from Shivajinagar in Bengaluru, S.N. Krishnaiah Setty from Malur and M.P. Renukacharya from Honnali.

Kin get ticket

Former Deputy CM R. Ashoka’s cousin A. Ravi has been given the ticket to contest from Byatarayanapura in Bengaluru.

Anna Saheb Jolle, husband of sitting MLA Shashikala Jolle has been given the ticket to contest from Chikkodi-Sadalaga in Belagavi district. Shashikala herself will contest from Nippani.

The BJP second list also includes the names of B. Somashekar from Malavalli (SC), C.S. Niranjankumar from Gundlupet, Prof. Mallikarjunappa from Chamarajanagar, former MLC B. Siddaraju from H.D. Kote (ST), G.N. Nanjundaswamy from Kollegal (SC), Kumar Bangarappa from Soraba, N.L. Narendra Babu from Mahalakshmi Layout in Bengaluru and Jyothi Ganesh, son of former MP Basavaraju, from Tumakuru city.

It is interesting to note that the list does not contain the name of any women or minority community candidate. The announcement of BJP’s second list resulted in not just heartburn among disappointed ticket aspirants, but also triggered a banner of revolt and violence.

Supporters of former Sagar MLA Belur Gopalkrishna, who was denied ticket, stoned a BJP campaign vehicle in Sagar.

Former BBMP Deputy Mayor S. Harish, who was denied the party ticket from Mahalakshmi Layout, announced that he would quit the party.

Supporters of former Minister Sogadu Shivanna, who was denied the ticket from Tumakuru city, staged a demonstration in Tumakuru. BJP leader and former MLC Shashil G. Namoshi, who was a strong aspirant for Kalaburgi North Constituency, broke down and cried before the Media at his residence in Kalaburagi on Monday after being denied the ticket.

Supporters of C.M. Nimbannavar, BJP ticket aspirant from Kalagatti seat in Dharward district, called for a Kalagatti bandh on Tuesday in protest against the denial of ticket to Nimbannavar.