‘No tension’ in releasing list of Karnataka candidates: CM Basavaraj Bommai

SHIVAMOGGA: There is no tension regarding the list of BJP candidates for the coming Karnataka Assembly polls but there are expectations, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday. He told reporters here that competition is common when there are a lot of aspirants.

“The party parliamentary board will meet and then release the list of candidates. The list is getting prepared democratically as the opinions of workers of all levels have been taken and discussed in Taluk and district-level committees. The feelings of people have been considered while preparing the list. Three names are proposed for each constituency,” he said.

Bommai claimed that the opposition Congress did not have suitable candidates for 60 constituencies and the candidates were brought from other parties and given the tickets. Just before the release of the second list, Congress state chief D.K. Shivakumar called up many BJP MLAs and offered them tickets, he also claimed.

“The Congress leaders talk something outside but their intentions are different. The Congress will fare much worse in the coming Assembly polls than the 2018 Assembly polls as it lacks suitable candidates, has no organisation at the grassroots level, and no proper ideology or principles,” he added. Asked about Shivakumar’s threat to cancel all reservations including international quota, the CM said no one can touch this and challenged the Congress leaders to do it.

On BJP MLC Laxman Savadi’s statement of holding him responsible for the defeat of Mahesh Kumatalli, the CM said he had already spoken with Savadi and there is nothing big. The MLC is a senior BJP leader and worked as Deputy Chief Minister, he added.

“Savadi knows his responsibility. I have spoken to him and everything will be okay soon.”

Reacting to a question on the opposition parties attacking noted Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep for extending support to the BJP, Bommai said it was upto them if others wanted to take Sudeep with them for the poll campaign. The actor has already clarified that he decided to support him because of help extended during his initial days in the Kannada film field, he added. (IANS)