LS polls: Jagadish Shettar among four candidates in BJP's second list for Karnataka

Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and former Karnataka Assembly Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri are among the four candidates in the BJP’s second list for Karnataka on Sunday.

As expected, Shettar will contest from Belgaum (Belagavi) constituency, while Kageri will fight from Uttara Kannada district, replacing sitting MP Anantkumar Hegde.

According to the list released by the party in New Delhi, the other two candidates fielded by the party are former Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar from Chikkaballapura and Raja Amareshwara Naik from Raichur.

Shettar assumed different positions right from party state president, leader of the opposition, assembly speaker and chief minister of Karnataka.

A staunch RSS man, Shettar quit the BJP in 2023 when he was denied a ticket in the assembly election. In less than a year, he was back to his parent organisation.

Shettar wanted to contest the Lok Sabha election from Haveri constituency but the party decided to field him from Belagavi.

Kageri’s selection was also on the anvil as the party had made up its mind to find a suitable replacement to Anantkumar Hegde, who had caused much embarrassment to the party time and again.

Kageri, a six-time MLA, is well known for his balanced views, his strong footing in the RSS ideology and well-weighed words. He hails from Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district.

As Union Minister of State, Hedge, on December 26, 2017, said that the BJP came to power to change the Constitution triggering a nationwide uproar. Later, he had to apologise for his comment.

Recently, Hegde said the BJP’s call for winning more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha was to bring amendments to the Constitution. This led to sharp reactions from various quarters.

A three-time MLA, Dr K Sudhakar is a well known name in Chikkaballapura. He lost the 2023 assembly election from Chikkaballapura assembly constituency.

He was previously with the Congress but resigned from the assembly in 2019, a year after winning the election.

A medical professional Sudhakar was among the 18 disqualified MLAs who later joined the BJP.

He successfully contested the 2019 bypoll and during COVID-19 pandemic he was given the health and medical education portfolio.

The BJP has so far announced candidates for 24 Lok Sabha constituencies.

The general elections in Karnataka will be held in two phases on April 26 and May 7 for 28 constituencies.