Shobha Karandlaje: Udupi Chikmagalur MP To Field From Bangalore North (image: twitter.com/ShobhaBJP/)BJP leader and Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje has recently been in the news for her controversial remarks in relation to the Bengaluru cafe blast after she alleged that the Tamilians of planting bombs in Karnataka. Based on DMK’s complaint, the Election Commission (EC) has directed the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer to take immediate action against her for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Two-time MP from Udupi Chikmagalur constituency, Shobha Karandlaje will be contesting from Bangalore North in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. She has been shifted to Bangalore North following opposition from locals and recent social media campaigns signaling strong anti-incumbency sentiments against her. Her candidature from the seat opened when the sitting Bangalore North MP and former Chief Minister V Sadananda Gowda announced her retirement from electoral politics.
As she started her election campaign, the BJP leader stated that she was not an outsider for the Bangalore North Lok Sabha seat. She had been a resident and voter of Hebbal constituency since the last four elections, and the Union Minister further added that even her political career began in the Yeshwantpur Assembly segment, which was coming under Bangalore North in 2008, The Deccan Herald reports as she is saying.
Shobha Karandlaje’s victory in the 2019 elections from Udupi Chikmagalur was significant; she was the lone BJP woman candidate to garner success in southern states. In the second PM Modi ministry, she was elected as the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and later assigned to the portfolio, Food Processing Industries. Besides, she also serves as the Vice President of the BJP.
She began with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at an early age and then moved to the BJP. In the party, she served various roles and responsibilities before being elected as an MLC in 2004. In 2008, Shobha got elected as MLA, representing Yeswanthpur Assembly, and became a cabinet minister in the BS Yediyurappa-led government. She served as a cabinet minister in the Jagadish Shettar-led government as well.
A close associate of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Shobha Karandlaje quit the BJP and joined his newly formed Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP). Yediyurappa appointed her as working president of the party as well. In the 2013 assembly election, she contested unsuccessfully from the Rajaji Nagar segment. After the polls, when the KJP merged with the BJP, Karandlaje returned to the party fold.
Bangalore North constituency has maintained as the BJP’s stronghold, and the party emerged victorious in the past four Lok Sabha elections since 2004. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Sadananda Gowda retained the seat by defeating Congress nominee Krishna Byre Gowda by over 1,47,518 votes.