Mangaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put an end to speculation by officially naming its candidates for the upcoming by-elections in Sandur and Shiggaon constituencies.
Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s son, Bharath B Bommai, has been chosen as the candidate for Shiggaon, while Bangaru Hanumantha has been selected as the candidate for Sandur.
Bharath Bommai, 35, whose name had been circulating from the beginning, has been confirmed as the candidate for Shiggaon, a constituency his father, Basavaraj Bommai, has represented since 2008. This decision marks the continuation of a family legacy, with Bharath Bommai becoming the third generation from the Bommai family to enter Karnataka politics. His grandfather, SR Bommai, served as Karnataka's 4th Chief Minister and also the Union Minister, while his father was the CM from 2021 to 2023.
A graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering from Purdue University, USA, and an MBA in Innovation from Singapore Management University, Bharath Bommai currently serves as a consultant and advisor to Prabhanjan Apparels, a company run by the Bommai family and closely associated with various companies.
The election marks his official entry into politics.
In Sandur, BJP has fielded Bangaru Hanumantha, a seasoned politician and the current state president of the BJP ST Morcha. Hanumantha, 42, is —an actor, contractor, agriculturist, and social worker—who has been active in politics for over two decades. He had previously contested the 2018 Assembly elections as an independent candidate from Sandur.
He has served the party in various capacities and has been active in Ballari.