Bengaluru: BJP on Wednesday announced senior party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Govind M Karjol as its candidate from Chitradurga Lok Sabha seat, replacing incumbent MP and Union Minister A Narayanaswamy.
According to party sources, Narayanaswamy, who is Union Minister of State for Social Welfare and Empowerment, was “facing anti-incumbency,” and hence he was denied ticket. Narayanaswamy, who does not hail from Chitradurga, had earlier been an MLA from Anekal near Bengaluru.
With this, the BJP has announced candidates for all 25 seats it will be contesting in the state, which has a total of 28 constituencies. In the remaining three seats — Mandya, Hassan and Kolar — BJP’s NDA partner JD(S) will be contesting.
Karjol, who hails from Vijayapura district, had been a five-term member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Mudhol constituency in Bagalkote district.
The 73-year-old had served as Minister holding various portfolios in BJP governments, also party’s state Vice-President, and Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. He was earlier with Janata Dal.
Karjol was defeated in the 2023 Assembly polls from Mudhol by Congress’ R B Timmapur, who is now a Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government.
Congress has fielded B N Chandrappa, who had lost to Narayanaswamy in 2019. Chandrappa had won the Lok Sabha polls from Chitradurga in 2014.
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