JDS MLC says Congress will win MLC seat in South, expresses resentment with JD(s) leadership
Mysuru, Jun 13: After a setback in the recent Rajya Sabha polls, which saw at least one of its MLAs voting against party candidate, JD(S) on Monday faced another round of dissidence with its MLC requesting voters to back a Congress nominee in the election to Legislative Council from the South Graduates' constituency.
Voting is underway in the biennial election to the Karnataka Legislative Council from two graduates' and an equal number of teachers' constituencies on Monday.
"Voters of all the four districts that come under the constituency (South Graduates') are voting in large numbers in support of Madhu G Madegowda (Congress candidate). Madhu G Madegowda will win this election with a huge margin. His win is 100 per cent certain," JD(S) MLC Marithibbe Gowda said.
Speaking to reporters here, he appealed to voters to vote in favour of Madegowda to ensure his victory.
He, however, did not wish to comment regarding his disgruntlement against JD(S) and its leadership, stating today was a poll day.
In the polls for South Graduates' constituency, Madegowda of Congress is pitted against former MLC M V Ravishankar of the BJP and H K Ramu of JD(S).
Recently, hitting out at the JD(S), Marithibbe Gowda expressed disappointment at the "attitude" of JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and Legislature Party leader H D Kumaraswamy over the last four years.
He had alleged that the party denied a ticket to one Jayaramu for the election to the Legislative Council from the South Graduates' constituency as he did not have money.
Marithibbe Gowda, who was the Deputy Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council from 2015 to 2018, is currently MLC from South Teachers' constituency.
During the Rajya Sabha polls held on June 10, despite efforts by JD(S) to keep its numbers intact, the regional party's Kolar MLA K Srinivas Gowda cast his vote for the Congress candidate defying the party's diktat, while Gubbi MLA S R Srinivas allegedly put a blank ballot paper into the box, which left JD(S) legislature party leader H D Kumaraswamy fuming at his colleagues.
While Gowda accepted he voted for the Congress candidate stating that he did so since he "loved" the party, Srinivas, however, rejected Kumaraswamy's claim and insisted he voted for his party's pick. There were also reports that Srinivas had voted in favour of BJP's Lehar Singh Siroya, when votes were counted.
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Delhi Polls: BJP faces protest, placates MLA amid resentment over ticket distribution
New Delhi, Jan 12: Resentment surfaced in the BJP on Sunday over ticket distribution for Delhi Assembly polls, with a protest held outside its Delhi unit office and an angry outburst by the outgoing MLA from Karawal Nagar who was not included in the candidate list released a day earlier.
As MLA Mohan Singh Bisht threatened to revolt after being denied a ticket from Karawal Nagar, the party rushed to control the damage and announced his candidature from the Mustafabad seat this evening.
A group of protesters from Tughlakabad in South Delhi held a dharna at the gate of the Delhi BJP office, demanding a change in the candidate from the constituency.
"Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi," the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them.
In the second list of BJP candidates for the polls declared on Saturday, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. In 2020 Assembly polls, Vikram Bidhuri who is a relative of senior party leader Ramesh Bidhuri, lost to AAP's Sahiram by over 13,000 votes.
A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajainder Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.
Bisht, the senior-most BJP MLA in the outgoing Assembly elected five times from Karawal Nagar, openly expressed unhappiness over being denied the ticket to contest from his stronghold.
A senior party leader said he was pacified after a meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda.
Bisht, after getting the ticket from Mustafabad, expressed confidence that he would win the seat for the BJP.
"I met the national president and things were ironed out. I have assured that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party," Bisht told PTI.
The MLA said he and the BJP had considerable support in Mustafabad and he has already attended two public meetings there.
The BJP won the Mustafabad seat, having a significant minority community presence, in the 2015 Assembly polls but lost it to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2020.
Earlier in the day, Bisht told PTI that the party's decision to replace him with Kapil Mishra was "wrong" and its consequences will be visible after voting on February 5.
"You have challenged the 'samaj' (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri," Bisht warned.
The BJP fielded Kapil Mishra, a Hindutva hardliner, from Karwal Nagar in North East Delhi, which was rocked by massive communal violence just after the 2020 Assembly polls.
Sources in the party claimed that there was also "deep resentment" among the Delhi BJP's Scheduled Castes Morcha leaders over being denied tickets from different constituencies including Madipur and Kondli.
A top Delhi BJP functionary stressed that there are many ticket aspirants, so it is natural for those who did not get selected to feel disappointed.
"The BJP is a disciplined party and its leaders understand this. Sooner or later, everyone will realise this and work for the victory of the party giving up their resentment," he said.
The elections to 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are scheduled on February 5. Results will be out after the counting of votes on February 8.
The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to power. In the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls, the party was completely routed by the AAP, scraping through with just three and eight seats, respectively.
