Karnataka Polls: More BJP leaders quit party over ticket denial

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, April 13, 2023: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is finding it hard to keep its flock together as those who have been denied tickets are revolting against the party openly. Mudigere BJP MLA M P Kumaraswamy on Thursday announced his resignation from the party, after he was denied a ticket to contest the Karnataka Assembly polls, and blamed national General Secretary C T Ravi for not getting nominated. The three-time MLA said he will also be submitting his resignation as a legislator to the Assembly Speaker soon.

 

In the BJP’s second list of 23 candidates announced last night, Deepak Doddaiah was named as a candidate from Mudigere. Kumaraswamy hit out at BJP national General Secretary C T Ravi for not getting the ticket, and said he will decide on his next move after discussing with his supporters and people of his constituency. The MLA cited personal rivalry between him and Ravi as the reason for him missing the ticket.

Speculations are rife that the leader from SC community may join JD(S) or contest as an independent. "I have sent in my resignation to the party office and will hand over (resignation as MLA) to the Speaker soon. I will discuss with my supporters and voters and decide my next move in a couple of days," he said.

"C T Ravi has ensured that I don’t get a ticket due to personal reasons, he has that strength now as national general secretary. If I was in his position and he was in mine, I would have done the same thing," he said, and warned the BJP that Ravi will decimate the party. Kumaraswamy said if veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa switches off his phone for a week, the party won’t win even 50 seats. "Without Yediyurappa, people will not even come to BJP’s meetings." He questioned the reason as to why he was denied the ticket. "I have age and ability on my side."

Recently, there was a large-scale protest against Kumaraswamy by a section of party workers in the constituency, when Yediyurappa had visited there.

State Minister and six-time Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Angara S on Wednesday said that he would not campaign for the party while also announcing his exit from political activity. He announced this after being denied a party ticket for the upcoming polls. The BJP announced the names of 189 candidates in the first list on April 11 and 23 candidates in the second list on April 12. Angara’s name was missing from both the lists. He is an MLA from Sullia in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka and was denied a ticket to contest from the same seat this time which is reserved for Scheduled Castes candidates. Bhagirathi Murulya was given a ticket from the seat.

Former Karnataka Deputy CM Laxman Savadi has also resigned as the Legislative Council member and from the primary membership of the BJP after losing the Athani constituency ticket. More leaders are likely to quit the BJP over the ticket denial.

Courtesy: Zee News