Lok Sabha poll ticket: BJP MPs live in fear of denial

Bangalore: While nearly a dozen of the BJP’s 18 sitting MPs from the state are working hard to get a ticket to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections, the party is believed to be unhappy with the performance of most of them.

Barring five or six sitting MPs, the others are in the bad books of the BJP leadership owing to their poor performance, according to party sources.

Particularly in trouble are MPs D.B. Chandregowda (Bangalore North)  P.C. Mohan (Bangalore Central), Basavaraj (Tumkur), Janardhana Swamy (Chitradurga), Ananth Kumar Hegde (Uttara Kannada), P.C. Gaddigowder (Bagalkot),  B.Y. Raghavendra (Shimoga),  Shivakumar Udasi (Haveri),  Ramesh Katti (Chikkodi)  and Suresh Angadi (Belgaum).

They are reportedly at a disadvantage not ony due to the anti-incumbency factor but also  stiff opposition from local BJP leaders who are against giving them another term in parliament.

Chandregowda, it is said, is unlikely to be fielded again from Bangalore North owing to his advanced age and Mohan could be denied the ticket owing to his  defeat from Gandhinagar constituency in the last assembly elections.

While Janardhan Swamy is facing tough opposition from his own party leaders in Chitradurga, Raghavendra is believed to have little support left in Shimoga and is hardly seen in the constituency.

Should the party opt for his father, former Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa instead, he could throw his hat into the ring, according to sources close to him.

In Haveri too, Shivakumar Udasi could make way for his father who is reportedly interested in contesting.

The anti-incumbency factor and opposition from his  party leaders are working against Ananthkumar Hegde in Uttara Kannada.

Will young saffronists push out older lot?

Naushad Bijapur| DC

Belgaum: The BJP could be under pressure to field younger candidates for the Lok Sabha poll and ignore some of its senior leaders who are sitting MPs if a survey  conducted by it in  north-Karnataka is any  indication.

For instance, in Belgaum where Suresh Angadi of  BJP is hoping for a hattrick, voters favour a younger candidate.   

According to a BJP leader, the survey of the Assembly segments showed people preferred former MLA, Abhay Patil.

The re-entry of former CM, B.S. Yeddyurappa into the BJP is another threat to several sitting BJP MPs in north-Karnataka. 

Both Suresh Angadi and   Ramesh Katti from Chikkodi could face opposition from his camp as they turned their backs on him in his hour of crisis.

Angadi could also face opposition from former minister Balachandra Jarkiholi who enjoys huge support across Gokak and Chikkodi as he had spoken out against him after his suspension from the assembly, comparing his Arbhavi constituency to Bihar.  

Also with the Congress reportedly set to field a younger candidate in Laxmi Hebbalkar from Belgaum, the BJP is expected to opt for a youthful candidate. 

BJP president Pralhad Joshi, when contacted, said the party had not yet decided on fielding Angadi from Belgaum and Katti from Chikkodi.