Karnataka: T S Srivatsa thanks BJP brass for election debut in Krishnaraja segment

MYSURU: BJP’s decision to field T S Srivatsa, who has been the city president of BJP, from Krishnaraja assembly segment in his first electoral battle, had left the four-time MLA and party’s face in the constituency for the last six elections, S A Ramadas, and his followers disgruntled. However after a meeting with his supporters on Tuesday evening, Ramadas said he will not rebel against the party.
Ramadas had refused to meet any party leaders, including MP Pratap Simha and others who on Monday rushed to his residence after he was denied a ticket.
Amid the development, Srivatsa, who belongs to the Brahmin community, has launched a campaign in the constituency where Brahmins are decisive. Srivatsa will file his nomination to contest the elections on April 20.
Srivatsa was chosen president of the party some three years ago. Ever since, he has become a prominent face in the party. He is leading all the party activities from the front, and now, the party has reposed confidence in him to win the seat for the party.
Speaking to TOI, Srivatsa said: “Though this is my first electoral battle, I have closely seen electoral battles and worked for the party in about 19 different elections, including assembly, parliament, corporation, and legislative council, in the last few decades.”
Besides thanking the party for giving him an opportunity to contest the assembly elections, Srivatsa said he would surely give his best to the party and continue to work for the interest of the voters in the constituency.
Srivatsa said the immediate challenge before him is to attend to disgruntlement within the party. “Otherwise, I don’t see any difficulty in the elections,” he stated.
DT Prakash, president of Mysuru city and District Brahmins’ Association, said: “We will support our community candidate in the elections. We (Brahmins) are decisive in the constituency with a total of 70,000 voters.”
Prakash and other community leaders had requested the party to change incumbent MLA (Ramadas) in February and field a new face from the community.