The Bharatiya Janata Party is learnt to have finally decided to keep its three MLAs facing charges — Y. Sampangi (KGF), Katta Subramanya Naidu (Hebbal) and S.N. Krishnaiah Setty (Malur) — away from the Assembly poll contest.
According to sources, the party is set to allow Mr. Sampangi’s mother to contest on its ticket from KGF while Mr. Naidu and Mr. Setty would be taken into confidence while deciding the candidates in their constituencies.
These three politically influential MLAs, who are facing serious charges related to corruption and land scams, were pressuring the party leadership to consider their candidature despite party national president Rajnath Singh opposing their candidature.
At last, the party is learnt to have decided against considering them as that would have boomeranged on its political strategy of projecting itself as an organisation that has been cleansed by the quitting of leaders like the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa who are facing serious corruption charges.
The party is expected to announce candidates for the remaining 12 constituencies, including the above thee seats, on Tuesday. Wednesday is the last day for filing nominations.
The party included the former JD (S) MLA from Devanahalli G. Chandranna into its fold on Monday. The party is learnt to have decided to field him on its ticket from Devanahalli (Reserved) constituency.
Meanwhile, BJP’s central leader and key-strategist Arun Jaitley, who was in Bangalore to finalise the party’s poll strategy, left for Delhi on Monday.
He is expected to return to Bangalore for working on the party’s poll campaign strategy in a couple of days.