The BJP, on Tuesday, 26 March, named former minister Narasimha Naik, aka Raju Gowda, as its candidate for the 7 May Shorapur Assembly bypoll. The seat became vacant following the demise of Congress MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik, who defeated Naik in the 2023 Assembly polls. Venkatappa’s son Raja Venugopal Naik is the Congress candidate.