Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Apr 3: Three out of the four BJP MPs from the coastal Karnataka region, who won elections with record vote margins, have been denied tickets by the party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Additionally, a fourth MP had to change constituencies due to strong resistance from party workers and local leaders.
The trio denied BJP tickets by the party's high command are MPs D V Sadananda Gowda, Nalin Kumar Kateel, and Mumbai North MP Gopala Shetty. Despite their impressive victories in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, D V Sadananda Gowda and Nalin Kumar Kateel, along with Gopala Shetty, were not nominated for the 2024 elections. While sitting MP Shobha Karandlaje was granted a ticket by the high command, her constituency was changed. Except for D V Sadananda Gowda, the others had secured victories by significant margins in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but were not retained for the 2024 elections.
D V Sadananda Gowda, who contested for the second time from the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituency in 2019, defeated Krishna Byre Gowda of the Congress by 147,518 votes. Having previously won from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru and Mangaluru constituencies, he has completed four terms as an MP. He has also served as an MLC, CM, and state president of the BJP and was an MLA of Puttur for two terms.
Nalin Kumar Kateel, who contested for the third time consecutively from the Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency, won with a record margin of 274,621 votes against Mithun Rai of the Congress. He holds the record for serving as the MP of the Dakshina Kannada district for 15 consecutive years and has also served as the state BJP president. However, the party has chosen to field a new face, Capt Brijesh Chowta, this time.
Gopala Shetty, a two-time MP of the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency, won by a huge margin of 465,247 votes in 2019, defeating Urmila Matondkar. Despite his previous victories and his tenure as a member of the local body and MLA, he has been denied a ticket this year, with the nomination going to Piyush Goyal.
Shobha Karandlaje, a two-time MP of the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency, did not get the opportunity for a third term. Due to stiff opposition from party workers and local BJP leaders, she was given a ticket for the Bengaluru North constituency, where D V Sadananda Gowda is the sitting MP. Kota Srinivasa Poojary has been given the ticket for the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency.
The three sitting MPs denied tickets for the 2024 elections are uncertain about their future. They will work towards ensuring victory for the party candidates and have been tasked by the high command with securing victories by larger margins than before. Their future will depend on the success of the new BJP candidates who have been nominated in their place.