Karnataka assembly elections: BJP faces rebellion, resignations post 1st poll list

BELAGAVI/MANGALURU: A day after it announced the first list of 189 candidates for the May 10 assembly polls, BJP in Karnataka was confronted with emotionally-charged rebellion with two MLCs, including former deputy CM Laxman Savadi, quitting the party on Wednesday and a six-time MLA announcing retirement from electoral politics saying there “was no value for honesty”. The sitting MLA from Udupi sobbed before the media, saying there was lack of grace in how things were handled.
While announcing his resignation as an MLC and from the primary membership of BJP, Savadi said he was not “shameless to go with a begging bowl” to the party’s central leadership. A three-term MLA from Athani in Belagavi district, Savadi was denied ticket from the seat that he had lost in 2018. BJP insiders said Savadi is contemplating joining Congress and contesting from Athani. “I will announce my next political move on Thursday and start working on it on Friday,” the 63-year-old, who was one of the three deputy CMs appointed in the BS Yediyurappa government in 2019, said.

The Athani ticket has been given to sitting MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, who was backed by former minister and sugar baron Ramesh Jarkiholi. He was among the defectors, including Jarkiholi, who helped BJP bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition and form its government under Yediyurappa’s leadership.
Another BJP MLC, R Shankar, quit from the legislative council after BJP ignored his request for a ticket from Ranebennur seat in Haveri district and instead fielded Arun Kumar Pujar. Elected from this seat in 2018, Shankar had also withdrawn support to the Congress-JD(S) coalition.

A day after former CM Jagadish Shettar expressed his unhappiness over denial of ticket following a call from the party leadership, the MLA from Hubli Dharwad Central called on BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi on Wednesday. Making it clear that he would not withdraw from the fray, Shettar said: “I expressed my view (that) I am going to contest the election. I have been elected for six consecutive terms. Give me another opportunity. Everything has been explained. He (Nadda) said he is going to discuss with other leaders and come to a conclusion.”
BJP insiders said the development is a clear indication that the party will field the former CM, who is from the Lingayat community, after initially toying with the idea of dropping him as part of its plans to nudge senior leaders to make way for younger candidates. “Ninety-nine per cent, Shettar will get a ticket,” Yediyurappa said in Bengaluru.

Six-time MLA S Angara, who is a minister in the BJP government, announced his retirement from politics after he was denied a ticket from his Sullia constituency in Dakshina Kannada district. “This is not the way an MLA who toiled for the party with dedication is treated. I have been working for the party and society without any black spots, but there is no value for honesty”, he said, adding that he wouldn’t work for the party anymore.
Another MLA, Raghupati Bhat from Udupi, broke down in front of reporters a day after his close friend Yashpal Suvarna was given the ticket. “I am not sad over the party’s decision, but I am pained by the way the party has treated me. (Union home minister) Amit Shah had called and informed Jagadish Shettar about their plans. I do not expect Shah to call me, but at least the district president should have informed me in advance,” Bhat said. The hijab controversy, that made national and international headlines, started in Udupi after certain decisions that Bhat took.
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