Chikkamagaluru, 25 Feb

Veteran BJP leader and its Parliamentary Board member BS Yediyurappa on Sunday said that he expects the party to release the first list of candidates for Lok Sabha polls in three or four days.

The former chief minister said the atmosphere was in favour of the BJP across the country and in the state, because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity. "...we will get to know in three or four days, who is the candidate and if there are any changes...I expect it (first list to be released in three or four days)," Yediyurappa said in response to a question.

BJP had swept the 2019 general elections, bagging 25 of the total 28 seats in the state, while Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent backed by the party had also emerged victorious in Mandya.

To a question about Sumalatha Ambareesh holding meeting with her supporters amid reports that the BJP may cede the Mandya seat to alliance partner JD(S), Yediyurappa said, "nothing has been discussed, I don't have any information, things will be clear in a couple of days."

He said Shobha Karandlaje, who is Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in the last Lok Sabha elections had won with a margin of over 3.5 lakh votes from Udupi-Chikmagalur segment and will win with an even bigger margin this time. "There should not be any doubt about it."

A postcard campaign has been initiated allegedly by some BJP workers urging Modi and party national President JP Nadda to not field Karandlaje from Udupi-Chikmagalur and give priority to new face.

Calling the campaign "systematic conspiracy", Yediyurappa said, "we know who is behind it, she (Karandlaje) will not lose courage, everyone knows she has done a good job as union Minister. She will win with a bigger margin than last time," he added. PTI