<p>Following the announcement of bypolls for the Karnataka Legislative Council, the BJP is expected to nominate Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi as its candidate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A meeting of the state BJP leaders, expected by the end of the week, will take a call on this, after which Savadi’s candidature is expected to be formally announced.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Savadi, who is the only unelected member in the Cabinet, is confident of securing a win and being elected as MLC.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Savadi, who lost the 2018 Assembly polls from Athani against Congress’s Mahesh Kumathalli (who is now with the BJP), has time till February 20 to join the Upper House to continue in office. As per the election notification, the results of the<br />polls scheduled on February 17 will be announced the<br />same day.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Even though former minister R Shankar had lobbied for the MLC ticket, BJP leadership is expected to nominate him to the upper house when the tenure of some MLCs end in June.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shankar, former Ranebennur MLA, was among the MLAs who withdrew support from the H D Kumaraswamy-led Congress-<br />JD(S) coalition and joined the BJP.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shankar was denied ticket to contest the bypolls from Ranebennur on the promise that he will be elected as an MLC and then made a<br />minister.</p>
<p>Following the announcement of bypolls for the Karnataka Legislative Council, the BJP is expected to nominate Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi as its candidate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A meeting of the state BJP leaders, expected by the end of the week, will take a call on this, after which Savadi’s candidature is expected to be formally announced.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Savadi, who is the only unelected member in the Cabinet, is confident of securing a win and being elected as MLC.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Savadi, who lost the 2018 Assembly polls from Athani against Congress’s Mahesh Kumathalli (who is now with the BJP), has time till February 20 to join the Upper House to continue in office. As per the election notification, the results of the<br />polls scheduled on February 17 will be announced the<br />same day.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Even though former minister R Shankar had lobbied for the MLC ticket, BJP leadership is expected to nominate him to the upper house when the tenure of some MLCs end in June.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shankar, former Ranebennur MLA, was among the MLAs who withdrew support from the H D Kumaraswamy-led Congress-<br />JD(S) coalition and joined the BJP.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shankar was denied ticket to contest the bypolls from Ranebennur on the promise that he will be elected as an MLC and then made a<br />minister.</p>
