Close on the heels of the expulsion of M.P. Renukacharya from the Bharatiya Janata Party, B.Y. Raghavendra and Shivakumar Udasi, MPs, are expected to face action for associating with the Karnataka Janata Paksha of the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.
While BJP State president Pralhad Joshi on Friday said that the Karnataka unit had recommended to the central leadership to expel the MPs, sources in the party said a request, which had been made nearly a month ago, was expected to be met shortly.
Presently, five of the total 18 BJP MPs in the State have associated themselves with other parties.
While Mr. Yeddyurappa’s son Mr. Raghavendra and the former Minister C.M. Udasi’s son Mr. Shivakumar Udasi, and Tumkur MP G.S. Basavaraju have associated themselves with the KJP, Raichur MP Sanna Pakirappa and Bellary MP J. Shanta have publicly identified themselves with the BSR Congress of B. Sriramulu.
But the BJP is presently said to be training its guns only on Mr. Raghavendra and Mr. Shivakumar Udasi.
“As of now, we are not even bothered about Mr. Basavaraju as we have already suspended him from the party,” the sources noted.
After acting against Mr. Raghavendra and Mr. Shivakumar Udasi, we may decide on the others, including those associated with the BSR Congress, a party leader said.
Meanwhile, the party is holding a meeting of district unit leaders on Saturday in Bangalore to take their assistance in finalising the names of candidates in constituencies where the party lost in the previous Assembly elections.
The BJP is finding it tough to finalise the candidates for these constituencies as the number of aspirants is huge.
The party fears that any hasty decision may trigger a rebellion by the disappointed ticket aspirants.
It is in this context that the party is consulting leaders of district units for the second time.
It may be noted that Mr. Joshi had already announced that though the meeting would be held on Saturday, the list of candidates would be finalised only in the first week of April.
