The BJP has chosen the former MLC and Hindutva veteran from North Karnataka Narayansa Bandage as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls from Karnataka scheduled for February 27.
This seat was earlier represented by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is now likely to enter the Lok Sabha election fray.
Mr. Bandage is a founder-member of the ABVP in Bagalkot district and has worked under the leadership of BJP ideologues such as Jagannathrao Joshi and Bavurao Deshpande.
He was among those who were jailed during the Emergency and he had also involved himself in the Ram Mandir movement. He is from an OBC community.
By choosing him ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the party has sent a message to the northern region of the State that it has stuck to the Hindutva ideology. Former Minister V. Somanna too was one of the aspirants for the seat. But now it remains to be seen whether Mr. Somanna would be made to contest the Lok Sabha polls.
