Bengaluru: The BJP's second list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka brought some surprises as several incumbent MPs were replaced. The BJP has fielded around 10 new faces after the central leadership decided to bring fresh blood. Karnataka is vital to BJP's south plan and the party's slogan of 'Abki Baar, 400 Paar'.  

10 New Faces From Karnataka

• Koppal - Dr Basavaraj Kyavatoor
• Ballari - Sriramulu
• Haveri - BS Bommai
• Udupi Chikkamagaluru - Kota Srinivasa Poojary
• Davanagere - Gayathri Siddeshwara
• Dakshina Kannada - Captain Brijesh Chowta
• Tumkur - V Somanna
• Mysore - Yaduveer Krishnadatta Wadiyar 
• Chamarajanagar - S Balaraj
• Bengaluru Rural - Dr CN Manjunath

It has been learnt that the party's central leadership has taken on board the opinion of the state leaders about the candidates' performance during the Central Election Committee meeting on Monday night, and based on the deliberations the list was finalised. 

"Detailed discussion has taken place about all 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in the meeting that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, National President J P Nadda and select leaders from the state. The central leadership has taken the opinion of the state leaders for selection of candidates," the former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka had told reporters earlier. 

The BJP had swept the 2019 general elections in Karnataka bagging 25 out of the total 28 seats, while an independent backed by the party had also emerged victorious in Mandya. The Congress and the JD(S), which were running a coalition government back then and fought the election together, had come a cropper winning just one seat each.