After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its first and second candidates lists, comprising 189 and 23 candidates respectively, the party faced a fallout with several excluded leaders, who were miffed that they were passed over for fresh faces.

"Some aspirants and legislators have announced their resignation, and a few have resigned. We are speaking to workers and leaders and things will be resolved by and large. I'm speaking to seniors (who are disgruntled), also our high command will be speaking to them. I'm confident things will be resolved," CM Basavaraj Bommai said.

Veteran BJP leader and former CM B S Yediyurappa said there was some disgruntlement among some party members in some places and certain statements had been made, and that he would speak to them personally.

"They should cooperate with the BJP. I've been speaking to them since yesterday to ensure there is no confusion, and most probably, other than one or two cases, things will be resolved and I'm confident that they will cooperate," he said.

Former deputy CM Laxman Savadi, who was eyeing the Athani constituency ticket, resigned as the Legislative Council member of the BJP and quit the party on Wednesday.

Six-time MLA S Angara from Sullia constituency in Dakshina Kannada district, announced his retirement from politics on Wednesday, a day after he was denied a ticket by the party for the May 10 election.

BJP MLC R Shankar resigned from the legislative council a day after the ruling party ignored his request for a ticket. R Shankar was one of the 17 opposition MLAs who helped the BJP bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in 2019. Shankar was aspiring to contest the election from Ranebennur but was replaced by Arun Kumar Pujar.

Mudigere BJP MLA M P Kumaraswamy and Haveri MLA Nehru Olekar on Thursday announced their resignation from the primary membership of the party, after they were denied tickets as well.

Image courtesy: Times of India