Karnataka BJP scrambles to contain ticket fallout in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Chief minister BS Yediyurappa and other senior BJP figures scrambled to ease tensions in the camp on Saturday after many leaders and supporters refused to campaign for disqualified MLAs who have bagged party tickets to contest the bypolls.


Some of the leaders wanted to contest in the assembly constituencies in Bengaluru where disqualified Congress-JD(S) MLAs have been fielded.

Yediyurappa and others held a series of meetings with these BJP leaders. They managed to put out the political fire, which could have led to a larger rebellion weeks before the December 5 byelections, in Yeshwanthpura and Mahalakshmi Layout. But they had no success in Hoskote, where BJP leader Sharath Bachchegowda is now contesting as an independent after being denied a ticket. BJP has given former MLA MTB Nagaraj the ticket.

BJP, which knows any dissidence will hurt its bypoll chances at a time when it needs to win certain segments to remain in power, has moved quickly to placate leaders who have not been offered tickets. It is also trying to secure their support for the disqualified MLAs. The efforts began on November 11.

Yediyurappa cancelled his official engagements and held discussions with Union minister DV Sadanand Gowda instead. He also met disqualified MLAs Byrathi Basavaraj, ST Somashekhar and Munirathna, assuring them that the BJP cadre would campaign for them. State housing minister V Somanna, who is the election in-charge of Mahalakshmi Layout, met former Bengaluru deputy mayor S Harish and former MLA NL Narendrababu, urging them to back party candidate K Gopalaiah, one of the 17 disqualified legislators.

Babu had lost to Gopalaiah in 2008 and 2018 after contesting on Congress and BJP tickets, respectively. Harish was the BJP candidate in 2008. Gopalaiah was with JD(S) at the time. Harish and Babu were upset after BJP announced Gopalaiah’s candidature for Mahalakshmi Layout this week. The two had been eyeing this ticket.

“Following a request by senior leaders, I have decided to support Gopalaiah. But it’s only for this election. I am not going to give away my constituency to anyone in future,” Babu, who met Yediyurappa, told reporters.

Harish also fell in line: “It is a special circumstance and I will support Gopalaiah.”

Yediyurappa also met former MLA and actor Jaggesh, persuading him to back Yeshwanthapura candidate ST Somashekhar. Jaggesh had been keeping a low profile after BJP announced Somashekhar’s name for the bypoll. “The CM asked me to work for Somashekhar and as a (party) soldier, I have accepted his order,” Jaggesh said.

Sadanand Gowda sought to downplay the tensions. “Some discontent among ticket aspirants is quite common. We will take everybody along to win all 15 seats. There is absolutely no dissidence in KR Pura, Mahalakshmi Layout and Yeshwanthapura,” he said.

Anger grows in north Karnataka

BJP leader Kaviraj Urs ignored the party line and filed his nomination as an independent to contest the bypoll in the Vijayanagar assembly segment, Ballari, in clear signs of a brewing rebellion in the saffron camp.

He will clash with BJP’s chosen candidate, Anand Singh, who is one of the disqualified MLAs.

“Anand and I are friends; we grew up together. But when it comes to elections, some differences are bound to surface. I have filed my nomination papers, and there’s no question of withdrawing them,” Kaviraj said in the presence of Anand and BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar. Anand said he had urged Kaviraj to withdraw his nomination. There was commotion at the BJP office in the segment on Friday as a group of party workers opposed the decision to field Anand.

BJP is also battling fires in Haveri, where some party leaders have to refused to support Ranebennur candidate Arun Kumar Pujar.