10 BJP MPs from Karnataka may be denied tickets

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Speculation is mounting that 10 BJP sitting MPs from Karnataka will not be getting tickets for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Among the MPs on shaky ground are GS Basavaraj from Tumakuru, BN Bache Gowda from Chikkaballapura, GM Siddeshwara from Davangere, Shivakumar Udasi from Haveri, V Srinivas Prasad from Chamarajanagara, Mangala Suresh Angadi from Belagavi, Pratap Simha from Mysuru-Kodagu, Naleen Kumar Kateel from Dakshina Kannada and DV Sadananda Gowda from Bengaluru North.

DV Sadananda Gowda, Simha and Kateel spoke to mediapersons on Tuesday, all hinting that there was a chance that they might miss out on a ticket.

Some incumbent MPs like V Srinivas Prasad are reportedly being sidelined due to ill health.

Meanwhile, several others are being allegedly sidelined on account of growing unpopular. The BJP had deployed the strategy of replacing unpopular lawmakers to great effect in the Gujarat Assembly elections in late 2022, winning a simple majority in the western state.

However, the same hadn’t worked out well in last May’s Assembly polls. BJP has 25 MPs out of a total 28 in Karnataka.

Independent MP from Mandya Sumalatha Ambareesh is backed by the saffron party while JD(S) MP from Hassan Prajwal Revanna is also a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

This leaves Congress MP from Bengaluru Rural DK Suresh as the lone Opposition member of the Lok Sabha from the state.