Bengaluru: The discontent within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ranks is escalating as aspiring candidates who missed out on tickets are expressing their dissent, particularly in the constituencies of Chitradurga, Raichur, and Belagavi.
In Chitradurga, M.C. Raghuchandan, the son of BJP MLA M. Chandrappa from Holalkere, is deeply dismayed by the party’s decision to award the ticket to senior BJP leader Govinda Karajola.
Raghuchandan has hinted at contesting the elections independently, expressing his grievances during a meeting of BJP ‘Swabhimani’ workers held in Chitradurga.
He has given a five-day ultimatum for a potential candidate change, stating that he will file his nomination papers on April 3 if the situation remains unchanged.
Raghuchandan emphasised the importance of voters’ interests over party decisions, indicating his readiness to contest regardless of the party’s stance.
Similarly, in Raichur, dissatisfaction surged after the announcement of Raja Amareshwar Nayak as the official candidate. Supporters of former MP BV Nayak and former MLA Tipparaju Havaldar, who were hopeful aspirants, have been holding meetings across the district to voice their opposition.
The dissenters have openly expressed their reluctance to campaign for Amareshwar Nayak if he contests, prompting party leaders to promise to convey the workers’ sentiments to higher authorities.
In Belagavi, the decision to field Jagadish Shettar as the BJP candidate initially sparked discontent among local aspirants. However, tensions seemed to ease after former CM BS Yeddyurappa spoke with the dissenting leaders.
Nonetheless, Mahantesh Wakkunda, Vice President of the BJP district unit, announced plans to contest as a rebel candidate from the Belagavi Lok Sabha constituency. He spoke against the party’s decision to bring back Shettar who had previously defected to Congress and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders openly.
Moreover, Wakkunda expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s selection process, alleging that the survey conducted to determine suitable candidates was flawed and affected the self-esteem of local aspirants. He called for a meeting of like-minded individuals to discuss the matter in the near future.
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