With Karnataka strongman and BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa’s resignation as chief minister on Monday, speculation has peaked on who will succeed him. Reports say that keeping in mind the 2023 Assembly elections, the BJP has shortlisted a few names. Doing the rounds are the names of state Mines and Geology Minister Murgesh R Nirani, union minister Pralhad Joshi, national general secretary BL Santhosh among others.

Also read: The ‘i’ and ‘d’ of BS Yediyurappa’s political journey

With the assembly elections due in 2023, the BJP has a fine balancing act to do in terms of caste combination. The outgoing chief minister was from Lingayat community, a sizeable vote bank that makes up 16% of the population, and replacing him with any other caste leader may upset the community.

Also read: When BS Yediyurappa chose Karnataka over cabinet berth

Here’s a look at the contenders for the top post in Karnataka

BL Santhosh

BL Santhosh (Bommarabettu Laxmijanardhana Santhosh) is currently the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national general secretary (organisation). Santhosh is a chemical engineer by training and is recognised for his administrative skills.

Also read: ‘Agni Pareeksha’, pandemic and tears in BS Yediyurappa’s farewell speech

Born in a Brahmin family in Hiradika town of Karnataka’s Udupi, Santhosh studied chemical engineering at BDT College in Davanagere. His political initiation was through RSS, the BJP’s parent body,where he started as a Pracharak (full time worker) in 1993. Displaying leadership qualities, he is reported to have groomed many young pracharaks. One such pupil being Tejasvi Surya, the member of parliament from Bengaluru South.

Pralhad Joshi

Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi is a member of Lok Sabha from Dharwad. Rooted in RSS ideology, the 58-year-old is currently the union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs in the Narendra Modi government.

Joshi, Brahmin by caste, was thrust into limelight after he played a key role in organising the movement to hoist the Tricolour at Idgah Maidan Hubli Karnataka during 1992–1994. Going up the organisational ladder, Joshi became the state president of the BJP in 2012 and had a four-year tenure.

If made the Karnataka Chief Minister, Joshi will be the third politician from Hubli-Dharwad to become a chief minister. The earlier ones being SR Bommai of the Janata Dal and Jagadish Shettar of the BJP.

Murugesh Nirani

The mines and geology minister of the state cabinet, Murugesh Nirani ia mong the top contenders for the CM post. A Lingayat by caste, Nirani is the chairman of Nirani Group that includes sugar and cement businesses. He travelled to Delhi days before Yediyurappa’s resignation and is reported to be lobbying for the top post. However, when asked, the 56-year-old minister sai, “I never lobbied for any post in my life. I will shoulder the responsibility bestowed on me by the party. Our national leaders will choose the right person for the CM post after considering all the factors,” he said.

Basavaraj S Bommai

The 61-year-old Basavaraj Somappa Bommai is Minister of state for Home Affairs, Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Legislature of Karnataka. The son of former Chief Minister of Karnataka S R Bommai, Basavaraj is a graduate in Mechanical Engineering and cut his political teeth in his father’s party Janata Dal. He is also seen to be a strong contender but has dismissed all speculation saying, “I don’t want to answer any speculative question.”

Arvind Bellad

The 51-year-old is a Lingayat community leader, who is a two-time MLA of Legislative Assembly from Hubli-Dharwad West constituency since May 2013. He is a trained engineer and has a degree in business management too.

C T Ravi

CT Ravi, 54,  is another national general secretary in the fray. The four-time MLA from the Chikmagalur constituency, was a minister in state cabinet before quitting to take the national role. Ravi started off in politics as BJP Karnataka Yuva Morcha (the party Youth Wing) president. Later, Rajnath Singh picked him to be the state general Secretary of the party.

Jagadish Shettar

He is the former chief minister of Karnataka with one year tenure between 2012 and 2013. He too represents the Lingayat community and is a member of Legislative Assembly from Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency. When BS Yediyurappa took over as chief minister in 2019, he inducted Shettar as Cabinet Minister for Large and medium scale industries. Shettar began his political life with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad before becoming an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Apart from these names, Karnataka Assembly Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri and deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan are also in the race.