Ahead of the upcoming Karnataka assembly polls, Rajanandini, the daughter of veteran Congress leader and former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday.The induction of Rajanandini to the BJP took place in the presence of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. Meanwhile, former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi resigned as a Legislative Council member and from the primary membership of the BJP after he was denied the Athani constituency ticket.
“I have made my decision. I am not the one who goes around with a begging bowl. I am a self-respecting politician. I am not acting under the influence of anyone,” Savadi said.On the other hand, supporters of sitting BJP MLA from Belagavi North, Anil Benake staged a protest on Tuesday evening after he was denied a ticket in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections.
Further, supporters of BJP MLA Mahadevappa Yadawad protested in Ramdurg constituency in Belagavi over the ticket being denied to him. Chikka Revana who joined the BJP recently got the ticket from the constituency.According to BJP sources, former Karnataka Chief Minister and six-time BJP MLA Jagadish Shettar has started showing a rebellious attitude and has been called to Delhi. Shettar’s name was excluded in the first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls.
Shettar said that he will meet the party’s national president JP Nadda on Wednesday.
Addressing mediapersons in Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said,”189 candidates’ names have been declared. Consensus is there in almost all areas. Some people disagree (with the list) and a discussion will be done with them. I am in constant contact with them. I have spoken to Laxman Savadi (State Vice president) and asked him not to take any hasty decision.”
BJP declared 189 candidates for Karnataka assembly polls as it sought to strike a balance in terms of representation of various castes and communities while putting up “strong candidates” against senior Congress leaders.
Apart from fresh faces, the BJP has also focused on “social engineering” in its first list of candidates, party sources said.
