BJP targets Cong after “fake” candidates’ list emerges on social media

PTI, Apr 4, 2023, 5:53 PM IST

The BJP on Tuesday dismissed as ”fake” a purported list of candidates for the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka that is in circulation on social media, and alleged that it was a ”lie manufactured in the Congress factory”.

The ruling party has not yet released the list of candidates and is likely to come out with one after its Parliamentary Board meeting on April 8.

The ”fake” four-page list of candidates for 81 constituencies is in circulation on social media with the claim that it had been released by the Central Election Committee of the BJP on Tuesday after a meeting chaired by party national president J P Nadda. However, the party issued a statement quoting its national general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh as saying that the list is fake.

“Another lie from the Congress’ factory of lies. While the process of selecting the BJP candidates is in progress, this list is a fake one,” the BJP state unit tweeted.

BJP national general secretary and Chikkamagaluru MLA C T Ravi too tweeted, “CONgress Fake News Factory is circulating an alleged list of @BJP4Karnataka candidates on Social Media. Kannadigas know that we have not finalised our candidates for upcoming Assembly Elections. Fearing its defeat, CONgress has resorted to its usual cheap tactics against BJP.” Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the process of selecting candidates for the Assembly polls was being held in a democratic way and it would be completed smoothly with the list being announced after the party’s central leadership finalises it on April 8. Asked by reporters if there would be surprise candidates in the fray from the BJP, he said: ”Certainly, there is a plan for new experiments in certain constituencies and they will happen.”