The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has dropped several sitting Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and chosen turncoats from the Congress in its first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka elections. The list includes candidates for 140 seats, with at least 40 more expected to be finalised soon. All Congress legislators who switched to the BJP in 2019 have been given election tickets, which may cause internal conflict within the BJP. Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai will run for reelection in Shiggaon, while former chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra will run in his father’s seat of Shikaripura. The election, set for 10 May, is considered challenging for the incumbent BJP due to corruption allegations and a leadership vacuum. The opposition Congress is dealing with infighting between factions led by its top leaders, Siddaramaiah and state party chief DK Shivakumar. The party has been trying to put up a united front in its push for victory in Karnataka.
