Mysore/Mysuru: After much deliberations with its alliance partner in the State, the JD(S), the BJP High Command, put an end to all speculations on the continuation of the alliance  on Saturday by releasing the list of party candidates for Five of the Six Legislative Council seats from Teachers and Graduates Constituencies that are going to the polls on June.3.

The Legislative Council seats that are going to the polls are- Karnataka North-East Graduates, Karnataka South-West graduates, Bangalore Graduates, Karnataka South-East Teachers, Karnataka South-west Teachers and Karnataka South Teachers.

As per the list announced by the BJP High Command, E.C. Ningaraju Gowda will contest from South Teachers Constituency, which comprises the districts of Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar. The four other party candidates are- Amarnath Patil (North-East Graduates), Dr. Dhananjaya Sarji (South-West Graduates), A. Devegowda (Bangalore Graduates) and Y.A. Narayanaswamy (South-East Teachers). The BJP has left the Karnataka South West Teachers Constituency to its alliance partner, the JD(S), with S.L. Bhojegowda being the sitting member  from that party.

The polls to the Six Constituencies will take place on June 3 and the counting of votes will be taken up on June 6.

Profile

Ningaraju Gowda, a native of Eeregowdanakoppalu in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, is a resident of Srirampura in Mysuru city. A Doctorate Degree holder in Journalism from University of Mysore, the 51-year- old Ningaraju had served as an Academic Council Member and as a Syndicate member of University of Mysore from 2019 to 2022, when the BJP Government was in power.

Ninagaraju, who also holds an M.Phil degree in Library and Information Science had served as a Librarian at Mysore Varsity’s Information Science and Technology Centre from 1999 to 2008. Thereafter he served as the Chief Librarian at ATI (Administrative Training Institute) in the city from Oct.2008 to Dec.2022, before taking voluntary retirement from service.

A Vokkaliga community leader, he got engaged in party organisational activities and had helped teachers for enrolling in electoral rolls of South Teachers Constituency.

Being active in RSS and ABVP since his student days, Ningaraju had served as an office-bearer of organisations such as Vokkaliga Jagruta Vedike and Mysuru Vishwavidyanilaya Horata Samiti.

Expressing happiness about getting the party ticket, Ningaraju Gowda, who is associated with the BJP since 1994, said this is one of the many instances where ordinary party workers in the BJP get ticket for polls. Pointing out that he was happy that the Party had recognis ed him, he said he was thankful to the party leaders.