BJP springs surprise in Davanagere bypoll: Srinivas dasakariyappa gets ticket, BSY camp sidelined

Davanagere : In a surprising move ahead of the by-elections, the central election committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party has announced candidates for two  assembly  constituencies in Karnataka, triggering internal ripples within the party. On the occasion of Ugadi, the party declared Srinivas T Dasakariyappa as its candidate from Davanagere South, springing a major surprise.

The decision is being seen as a clear boost to the anti-B S Yediyurappa camp within the state BJP. Dasakariyappa, who is associated with former MP G M Siddeshwar’s faction, has been preferred over candidates backed by Yediyurappa loyalists, causing embarrassment to senior leader M P Renukacharya.

While the Bagalkot seat saw relatively less confusion with a Lingayat candidate almost finalised, Davanagere South witnessed intense lobbying among multiple aspirants, including B G Ajay Kumar, Rajanahalli Shivakumar, Devaramane Shivakumar, and Yashwanth Rao Jadhav. Ajay Kumar, a  youth leader backed by the Yediyurappa camp, was widely seen as the frontrunner until the last minute.

However, the party high command chose to break convention by fielding a Scheduled Tribe (ST) leader instead of the dominant Lingayat or Maratha community candidates in the region. This strategic shift is being viewed as both a social outreach move and an attempt to quell potential rebellion.

Dasakariyappa, currently serving as state ST Morcha vice-president, had reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over being denied a ticket in previous elections and had even indicated plans to contest as an independent. Sensing the risk of rebellion, the central leadership appears to have accommodated him.

The development has altered internal equations within the state unit. Renukacharya had even travelled to Delhi to lobby for Ajay Kumar’s candidature, banking on Yediyurappa’s influence as a senior  leader. However, the final decision has tilted in favour of the Siddeshwar-led faction.

Notably, leaders like Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and Siddeshwar have been part of a group critical of Yediyurappa and his son B Y Vijayendra. The factional divide had intensified during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and continues to shape internal politics.

With this  candidate selection, the BJP has not only surprised observers but also signalled a shift in internal power dynamics in Davanagere, setting the stage for a closely watched bypoll battle.