'Winnability key criterion': Yediyurappa on tickets for K'taka polls

Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP Central Parliamentary Board member B.S. Yediyurappa said on Friday that the party's candidates for the May 10 Assembly elections would be finalised following consultations with the high command considering the prospective nominee's ability to win, even as the party is under pressure from the aspirants over giving tickets.

"I will be leaving for Delhi in connection with finalising tickets. The matter needs to be discussed with the party's senior leaders. After a discussion, the candidates' list would be finalised," he said.

The senior BJP leader said that "a list having two or three names for each constituency has already been sent to the high command".

"I am going along with CM Basavaraj Bommai and others to Delhi. We will release the list soon," he said.

Meanwhile, a preliminary meeting to finalise the tickets was cancelled by the party high command.

The meeting was scheduled to take place on Friday evening. Yediyurappa and Bommai had planned to leave Bengaluru in the morning.

The Central Parliamentary Board will hold a meeting on Saturday and the candidates' list will be finalised.

On Sunday, the party would be holding the Central Election Committee meeting and the first list would be announced on the same day, according to sources.

The BJP Parliamentary Board meeting will be held in Delhi on Saturday to finalise the list of candidates, Bommai said.

He told reporters here on Friday that the process of seeking feedback and opinion at the Assembly and district level had been completed, and that was also discussed at the state level.

"The Parliamentary Board will take a final decision," he said.

Asked about Minister V. Somanna contesting against Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah in the Varuna constituency, Bommai said no decision has been taken in this regard, and discussion about all the constituencies will be held on Saturday.