Bengaluru: In a surprise move, BJP denied ticket to former minister and disqualified MLA R Shankar from Ranebennur. Instead, the party is fielding Arun Kumar Pujar as the party candidate.

Kumar will face KB Koliwad of Congress. According to sources, CM BS Yediyurappa assured R Shankar a minister post by electing him as an MLC.

Pujar is not a familiar face in Ranebennur and it is said that the Congress is buoyed by BJP’s wrong choice.