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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New Delhi (PTI): A 44-year-old woman was shot dead at point-blank range in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh on Saturday, with police suspecting the killing to be a fallout of the 2023 murder of her husband, an official said.

The deceased was identified as Rachna Yadav, a resident of Shalimar Bagh and the resident welfare association (RWA) president of her locality. According to police, she was shot in the head and died on the spot.

Police said Rachna was originally from Bhalswa village in north-west Delhi. Investigators suspect that the murder is linked to the killing of her husband, Vijendra Yadav, who was shot dead in 2023. The case concerning that murder is currently under trial.

"In the 2023 case, Vijendra Yadav was allegedly murdered due to previous enmity. Bharat Yadav and five others were named as accused. While five of the accused were arrested and are facing trial, the main accused, Bharat Yadav, is still absconding and has been declared a proclaimed offender," a senior police officer said.

Police said Rachna was the main witness in her husband's murder case, and her testimony was considered vital for the prosecution. Investigators believe her killing may have been aimed at weakening the case and intimidating other witnesses.

CCTV footage has surfaced in the Rachna Yadav murder case, clearly capturing the accused who allegedly shot her. Police said the assailant's accomplice was already waiting nearby on a sports bike bearing a Delhi registration number, facilitating a swift escape, according to an official.

Police said a PCR call was received at around 10.59 am at Shalimar Bagh police station, reporting that a woman had been shot.

Local police teams rushed to the spot and found Rachna lying on the road in a pool of blood. An empty cartridge was recovered from the scene, officials said.

According to the investigation, when Rachna was returning after meeting a neighbour, two assailants intercepted her. One of them allegedly stopped her and asked her name. When she identified herself, the attacker pulled out a firearm and shot her in the head before fleeing the spot along with his accomplice, police said.

Preliminary inquiry suggested that the woman was targeted, and the assailants appeared to have prior knowledge about her identity and movements.

"Crime Team and FSL teams were immediately called, and the scene of the crime was thoroughly examined. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being scanned to identify the assailants," Additional Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said.

Prima facie, it appears that the present case is linked to the earlier murder, he said. "We are re-examining all aspects of the 2023 case and the role of the proclaimed offender (Bharat)," Singh said, adding that multiple teams have been formed to trace the shooters and those who may have masterminded the crime.

Speaking to reporters, Kanika Yadav, the deceased's elder daughter, alleged that the murder was planned by Bharat.

"Some of the accused in my father's murder case are lodged in Tihar Jail. Despite that, they are planning such crimes. Bharat Yadav planned and executed my mother's murder," she alleged.

Kanika claimed her mother was killed because she was standing firm as a witness in her father's murder case.

"They were afraid that they would be convicted on the basis of her statement. That is why my mother was killed. My father was murdered in 2023, and the case is still pending before the court," she said.

Police said Rachna is survived by two daughters, one of whom is married, while the younger daughter lived with her. Security has been stepped up in the area, and further investigation is underway, police added.