The political landscape is abuzz as the BJP made significant changes to its Lok Sabha poll candidate list for the upcoming elections in Karnataka, revealing a calculated strategy to mitigate anti-incumbency and optimize their chances of winning. Nalin Kumar Kateel and Pratap Simha, despite being prominent figures, were among the nine sitting MPs not selected to run this election cycle. Instead, newcomers such as Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar from the Mysuru royal family and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai are set to make their debuts, contesting from Mysore and Haveri, respectively.
The prominent cardiologist Dr. C N Manjunath will be in the fray against Congress’ D K Suresh in Bangalore Rural, while seasoned politicians like Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and B S Yediyurappa’s son B Y Raghavendra from Dharwad and Shimoga, respectively, are expected to retain their positions. Remarkably, out of the party’s 267 candidates named across various states, about 21% of sitting MPs have not been nominated. Ten Karnataka MPs have been reselected, signaling a potential balancing act between rewarding loyalty and seeking fresh faces.
Delhi’s BJP line-up sees a significant turnover with six sitting MPs replaced, while Manoj Tiwari remains the only one to be re-nominated. In contrast, Gujarat’s list shows a mix of continuity and change, with only three out of seven current MPs making the cut for another term. Haryana, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh are observing similar patterns of selective repeats and strategic omissions. In Maharashtra, despite the alteration of five tickets, the party chose to repeat several incumbents, including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, while in Beed, Pritam Munde’s ticket has been passed to her sister, Pankaja Munde.
Madhya Pradesh will see Vivek Sahu challenging Nakul Nath in Chhindwara, a notable entry as the seat is traditionally a stronghold for the opposing party. Telangana maintains only four BJP seats with some changes, whereas two MPs will be repeated for Himachal Pradesh’s candidacy, including Anurag Thakur, the Union Minister from Hamirpur. Uttarakhand witnesses a complete switch with both its representatives replaced. The political theater extends to Tripura with a party change, and in Dadra And Nagar Haveli, the BJP has fielded the former Shiv Sena MP aligned with Uddhav Thackeray’s faction. With the election approaching, each decision underscores the party’s ambition to enhance its standing by exceeding the 370-seat target, building on its past successes and navigating through internal and external electoral challenges.