Youth leaders join Karnataka Assembly poll ticket race in BJP, Congress

Amid clamour within the BJP and Congress to field fresh faces in the upcoming Assembly election, political youngsters in both parties are vying for tickets, which includes some sitting MLAs trying to promote their daughters and sons.

Columbia University alumnus Bhavya Narasimhamurthy (L) and BJP Yuva Morcha state president Dr Sandeep Kumar (R).

The BJP Yuva Morcha, for example, is pushing the saffron party for tickets to their crop of leaders.

For example, BJP Yuva Morcha state president Dr Sandeep Kumar is tipped to be the party’s candidate at Anekal, an SC reserve that Congress’ B Shivanna won in 2018. According to sources, Kumar has decided to shift to Sarjapur so that he can concentrat on Anekal in a full-fledged manner from January. Apparently, an internal survey has given Kumar an edge over former IAS officer K Shivaram, who is also in the Anekal ticket race.

Another Yuva Morcha leader H C Thammesh Gowda is in contention for the BJP’s Byatarayanapura ticket. However, BJP national general secretary (organisation) wants former BBMP floor leader K A Munindra Kumar to be the party’s Byatarayanapura candidate.

BJP vice-president B Y Vijayendra, a Yuva Morcha product, is already doing his homework at Shikaripura after his father, the veteran B S Yediyurappa announced that he would not contest the next election.

At Kundgol, Yuva Morcha general secretary Dr Mallikarjun Balikai is the BJP’s ticket aspirant. The Congress, too, has a growing list of youngsters trying to bag Assembly tickets.

Columbia University alumnus Bhavya Narasimhamurthy and former Bengaluru Youth Congress president Raghuveer Gowda are said to be in the race for the Rajajinagar ticket. Another Youth Congress leader Mithun Rai is eyeing the Moodbidri ticket.

Former K R Nagar MLA Manchanahalli Mahadev’s daughter Aiyshwarya Mahadev has been trying to get the Congress ticket. In Mudigere, former minister Motamma’s daughter Nayana Jhawar is a ticket probable.

There is speculation that Karnataka Congress working president Satish Jarkiholi would shift to the Saundatti Yellamma constituency, vacating his Yamkanamaradi seat for daughter Priyanka. Similarly, former minister Shivanand Patil is said to be considering his daughter Samyukta Patil to succeed him at Basavana Bagewadi.

The JD(S) might consider its Yuva Janata Dal state president Nikhil Kumaraswamy for an Assembly ticket.