‘Winning is BJP’s criterion, new faces are given opportunity’, says LoP Ashoka on LS tickets from K’taka
Bengaluru: Karnataka’s Leader of Opposition (LoP) and senior BJP leader, R. Ashoka, has said that the party’s decision on announcing tickets for 2024 Lok Sabha elections is being made on the criterion of the ability of winning as well as giving a chance to new party leaders to contest polls.
Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday, Ashoka added: “The opportunity is given to new faces as well. Senior party leaders have also been considered. The discussion regarding announcing tickets for Lok Sabha elections is based on the performance of the sitting MPs. The party High Command will take appropriate decisions.”
“The discussion was held on all 28 Lok Sabha seats of the state. The finalisation of candidates for a few seats is kept on hold. For some of the seats, the discussion is still underway. The list may be announced by today (Tuesday) or tomorrow (Wednesday).”
Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday here that the list of BJP candidates for Lok Sabha elections is ready.
“The candidates’ list will be announced today or tomorrow (Wednesday). In the first meeting the discussion was held and the names of the party candidates were shortlisted,” he added.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have reviewed the candidate list. Barring four to five seats, the tickets of all Assembly constituencies have been finalised. BJP’s national leaders will take a final decision on the number of seats to be given to its ally JD (S),” Bommai said.
“Nothing is tougher in politics, appropriate decisions are made. As per the strategies of the opponents, the decisions are also made in BJP,” he added.
According to BJP sources, the party has decided not to field sitting MPs Nalin Kumar Kateel, Pratap Simha, G.M. Siddeshwara, Ramesh Jigajinagi and Ananthkumar Hegde.
The party is going to field new faces in these parliamentary constituencies, sources added.
