On Thursday, it is the third consecutive day that BJP is facing heat over poll ticket distribution with 3 more Karnataka MLAs coming up to quit BJP. They are MP Kumaraswamy, Nehru Olekar and Goolihatti Shekhar who resigned after they didn’t find their names in the second list of 23 candidates that was released late on Wednesday.
Reacting to the hot ongoing rebellion over ticket distribution, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj
Bommai said, “Myself and the high command are having a word with the unhappy aspirants and
things will be resolved at the earliest.”
However, the rebels blamed BJP’s Karnataka leaders for their exclusion from the lists.
Kumaraswamy, a three time MLA, said he was denied a ticket from his Mudigere seat for BJP’s
national general secretary CT Ravi. There is a probability of Kumaraswamy to either join JD(S)
or contest as an individual and independent.
Reacting to the hot ongoing rebellion over ticket distribution, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj
Bommai said, “Myself and the high command are having a word with the unhappy aspirants and
things will be resolved at the earliest.”
However, the rebels blamed BJP’s Karnataka leaders for their exclusion from the lists.
Kumaraswamy, a three time MLA, said he was denied a ticket from his Mudigere seat for BJP’s
national general secretary CT Ravi. There is a probability of Kumaraswamy to either join JD(S)
or contest as an individual and independent.
Bommai gets blamed by Olekar for not getting any seat from Haveri. He also accused Bommai
of bribery in a 1500 crore drip irrigation project that was recently taken up by Haveri. Although
Bommai opposes this statement and demands Olekar to produce relevant documents to justify
his charges.
Shekhar said he would contest as an independent from his Hosadurga seat or join G.
Janardhana Reddy’s party, Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha. BJP is facing revolt in 20 to 30
constituencies and probably it is the first time that Karnataka BJP is facing such a huge revolt
linked to ticket distribution.
Tickets issued
The party has denied giving tickets to 18 incumbent MLA. There were also two MLCs and more
than a dozen former MLAs pursuing tickets. Laxman Savadi (Athani), KS Eshwarappa
(Shivamogga), MP Kumaraswamy (Mudigere), S Ravindranath (Tumakuru City), R Shankar
(Ranebenneur), and Nehru Olekar (Haveri) are prominent members of this group.
The majority of the other candidates have now vowed to join the opposing parties or run as
independents, while Eshwarappa’s son may secure a ticket.