BJP's dynasty politics continues as Annasaheb Jolle gets Chikkodi, Sanganna from Koppal

BENGALURU: The BJP on Friday appears to have made an exception to its own supposed policy of nipping dynasty politics in the bud by giving ticket to Annasaheb Jolle, husband of its sitting MLA Shashikala Jolle.
Further, ending suspense and allowing its Koppal sitting MP heave a sigh of relief, the central leadership finally cleared the name of Karadi Sanganna also, along with Amaresh Nayak for Raichur constituency.

Even as the denial of ticket to Tejaswini continues to hurt the BJP rank and file in Bengaluru south, claims by state leaders of party central leadership decision to deny her the ticket based on BJP philosophy of not allowing dynasty politics to flourish any further has been thrown to the wind.

On Friday, Annasaheb’s candidature was announced by the party central leadership despite his wife Shashikala Jolle being a two time MLA from Nippani.

It may be recalled that Annasaheb contested the 2018 elections from his wife’s adjoining constituency of Chikkodi-Sadalga. However, the 55 year old businessman lost the elections to Ganesh Hukkeri by a margin of 10,598 votes.

Now, Annasaheb will be contesting against Ganesh’s father and Congress sitting MP from Chikkodi Prakash Hukkeri.

However, the banner of rebellion has already broken out in Belagavi as sitting Hukkeri MLA Umesh V Katti has asked the central leadership to “re-consider” its decision and accord the ticket to his younger brother Ramesh Katti.

With the choice between two dynastic families, the central leadership appeared to set aside the long time control of BJP fortunes in Belagavi politics, the Kattis and encourage the new found dynasts in Jolles.

On Friday, Umesh Katti met the state president B S Yeddyurappa and urged him to bear upon the central leadership to change its decision.

“I have spoken to the party state president and sought his intervention to impress upon the central leadership the need to re-consider its decision and give the ticket to Ramesh Katti. He has worked relentlessly in the constituency for five years, despite being out of power. Let us wait and see what happens in the next three-four days,” said Umesh.

It is said Umesh has already given a veiled threat to the BJP of resigning from the party if his brother is not given the ticket. The last day for filing nominations is April 4 and for withdrawal it is April 8.

At the other end, having kept its sitting MP Karadi Sanganna on tenterhooks for close to two weeks, the national president Amit Shah decided to accord the ticket to him on Friday.

Sanganna, who had been running from pillar to post seeking his re-nomination, had in fact camped in front of Yeddyurappa’s home for three days and kept visiting the state president to confirm his candidature.

It is said Sanganna was in the bad books of the national president after he allegedly tried to “blackmail” the central leadership to accord his son Amaresh Karadi the ticket from Koppal in the 2018 assembly elections.

Though Amaresh lost, it is said Shah wanted to teach Sanganna a lesson in not to blackmail the party leadership and thus held back his candidature.

With the announcement of the names for the three constituencies, the BJP has finally decided to contest in 27 of the 28 parliamentary segments while backing independent candidate from Mandya Sumalatha Ambareesh.