BJP ticket aspirants turn rebels?
Vijayapura: The rebellion within the BJP in the district is now spreading from one constituency to another where the party leaders have begun expressing anguish openly with regard to selection of candidates for the Assembly elections.
On Tuesday, at least a dozen BJP leaders of Indi taluk held a press conference to refute the claims that the BJP has decided to give ticket to the former MLA Ravikant Patil from Indi taluk, who had contested on KJP in the last Assembly election.
Mr. Patil lost to Yeshwantraigouda Patil of the Congress by a huge margin of over 30,000 votes.
“Mr. Patil has been spreading canards among the voters of the BJP in Indi that he has already been given ticket; the fact is the party has not finalised any candidate,” said Ravikant Bagali, a ticket aspirant. Demanding that the BJP not to give ticket to outsiders such as Mr. Patil, Mr. Bagali declared that if the party gives ticket to Mr. Patil, then one of the 12 party leaders would contest as rebel candidate.
The BJP State unit is already facing discontent in Muddebihal taluk where it has decided to give ticket to party-hopper A.S. Patil Nadahalli who earlier quit the Congress and then the Janata Dal (S) to join the BJP.
The party leader of Muddebihal had opposed his entry. However, going against their wish, the party has apparently decided to field Mr. Nadahalli from Muddebihal.
Rebellion intensifies in Vijyapura
Likewise, rebellion is also getting intense in Vijayapura city where several party leaders have already expressed anguish against the re-induction of MLC Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.
Mr. Yatnal, who was earlier sacked twice from the BJP for his anti-party activities, is now desperate to re-join the party which is being sternly opposed by BJP leaders, including MP Ramesh Jigajinagi, Arun Shahapur and the former MLA Appu Pattanshetty. The party now appears to have a bigger challenge in dousing the fire of rebellion before finalising its candidates.
Over 300 BJP workers and office-bearers of Devarahipparagi constituency, led by district general secretary Ravigouda Patil, have resigned to join the Janata Dal (S). They were angry as the BJP inducted party Devarahipparagi MLA and party-hopper A.S. Patil Nadahalli.
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21 Congress MLAs leave for foreign tour ahead of budget; leaders say trip is personal
Bengaluru (PTI): At least 21 Congress legislators in Karnataka left for a foreign tour ahead of the state budget on Wednesday, as a power tussle continues within the ruling party.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is set to present a record 17th budget on March 6, soon after the legislative session begins. The session will continue until March 27.
It is learnt that the MLAs travelling abroad are considered loyal to the CM.
According to Congress sources, 11 MLAs flew out on Tuesday, while 10 others are scheduled to leave for various foreign destinations with their families.
Sources said C Puttaranga Shetty, B Devendrappa, H D Thammaiah, Hampanagouda Badarli, B M Nagaraj, A Vasanth Kumar, D Thimmaiah and Sharanagouda Patil Bayyapur are among those travelling abroad.
The legislators are touring Australia and New Zealand. They will first fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and then continue their journey to Australia and New Zealand, sources added.
The MLAs clarified that the trip is personal and has nothing to do with the party or the government.
"We are going on a private tour. It’s just my family and me," Thammaiah told reporters at the Kempegowda International Airport here.
The Chikkamagaluru MLA said the decision had been taken during the Belagavi legislative session.
"Those interested in the tour are travelling. We often go abroad, but this is the first time it has made news," Thammaiah said.
Badarli sought to clarify that all the MLAs were funding the tour themselves and that it had nothing to do with politics.
"We travel abroad two or three times. Earlier, we visited Muscat, European countries and the United States," he said.
Puttaranga Shetty said the MLAs would return on March 2 or 3.
Responding to suggestions that those travelling belonged to Siddaramaiah’s camp, Shetty said, "The CM is not aware of our trip. Why drag his name into this unnecessarily?"
MLAs considered close to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said there was nothing unusual about "common friends travelling abroad together."
"We too have travelled abroad. What is wrong with that? I was not invited. Our team is different from theirs, but it is not factionalism," MLA H C Balakrishna said.
MLA Ravi Ganiga said no one could remove the incumbent or change the government merely because of a foreign tour, adding that the Congress high command takes appropriate decisions at the right time.
