Bengaluru: The suspense over the naming of candidates for the upcoming Legislative Council polls (from Assembly) from the BJP came to an end with the party high command announcing former Minister C.T. Ravi, sitting MLC N. Ravikumar, and former Maratha Development Authority Chairman M.G. Muley as its candidates.

C.T. Ravi, a former Kannada and Culture Minister, had served as BJP National General Secretary before being dropped last year. The former Minister, a prominent Vokkaliga leader, had lost the 2023 Assembly polls from the Chikkamagaluru constituency.

There had been speculation that he would contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency after sitting MP and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje was shifted to Bengaluru North. However, the BJP high command decided otherwise and fielded former Minister and MLC Kota Srinivasa Poojary from the constituency.

The BJP high command has also approved sitting MLC N. Ravikumar, who belongs to the Gangamathasta community, and Maratha leader M.G. Muley (Maruthirao G. Muley).

Many had expected the BJP to field Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh (who had sacrificed their tickets in the Lok Sabha polls) and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha, who was denied a ticket to contest. However, the party has not yet made any public statements about the political future of these two leaders.

A total of 17 MLCs will be elected in two Legislative Council polls to be held on June 3 and June 13. While six will be elected from teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies on June 3 (tomorrow), 11 will be elected by the MLAs on June 13.

With each candidate requiring 19 votes, the BJP, with 66 MLAs, can elect three MLCs, JD(S), with 19 MLAs, can elect one, while the ruling Congress, with 135 MLAs, can elect seven MLCs. However, both Congress and JD(S) are yet to finalise their candidates.