Karnataka polls: 52 fresh faces in BJP’s first list of 189 candidates

BJP on Tuesday declared the first list of candidates for Karnataka assembly polls, declaring names on 189 seats. The candidates were announced at a press conference addressed by union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is the party’s poll incharge in Karnataka, and party general secretary Arun Singh. Arun Singh said that the party has given tickets to several young faces. “Fifty-two out of 189 are fresh candidates,” he said. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will recontest from the Shiggaon constituency. Arun Singh said 32 candidates belong to the OBC community while the list has 30 candidates from the Scheduled Caste community. He said BJP’s graph is growing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Congress is facing divisions and groupism while JD-S is a sinking ship,” he said. BJP leaders said that the party has done an elaborate exercise of feedback before deciding on party candidates and expressed confidence of the party again forming government in the southern state. Congress has already declared 166 candidates in two lists. The polling will take place for 224 assembly seats on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13