Karnataka leader CT Ravi, who will contest from the Chikmagalur constituency, on Wednesday hailed the Bharatiya Janata Party for giving an opportunity to 52 new faces in its first list of 189 candidates for the May 10 Karnataka assembly elections. Ravi, who is the BJP’s national general secretary, said the party is strong on the ground in the poll-bound state and keeps doing new experiments.

Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, “I express my gratitude towards the party for announcing my candidature. In the first list, 52 new people have been given the opportunity. BJP is known as a party with a difference as it keeps doing new experiments. BJP is strong on the ground in the state.”

Ravi also said that the second list of BJP candidates will be released by April 20.

Today, in Karnataka, Congress, JD(S) fighting alone, unlike they keep saying that they will fight unitedly against BJP,” he was quoted as saying.

BJP’s First Candidates List

On Tuesday evening, the BJP announced its first list of 189 candidates for Karnataka polls. The party fielded Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai from his traditional Shiggaon constituency and party strongman BS Yediyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra from Shikaripura constituency.

During a presser in Delhi, BJP Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh said 52 of the 189 candidates are new faces and eight are women. Thirty-two of the candidates belong to Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 30 Scheduled Castes (SCs), and 16 Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Taking the fight to the opposition camp, the BJP fielded two state ministers — R Ashoka against state Congress chief DK Shivakumar in Kanakapura and V Somanna against former chief minister Siddaramaiah in Varuna. Ashoka and Somanna will also contest from one more seat each.

Among the candidates named in the first list, nine are doctors, five advocates, three academicians, one retired IAS officer, one retired IPS officer, three retired government employees and eight social activists, he added.

The candidates have been selected to bring in “a new generation leadership and fresh ideas” while maintaining balance with the elder leaders, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is Karnataka poll-in-charge of the party, told the media.

Filing of nominations to begin on April 13 and will continue till April 20.

The BJP aims to retain power in Karnataka by winning a majority in the 224-seat assembly.

(with inputs from PTI)

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