BJP candidate in the Ramanagaram Assembly by-election in Karnataka, L. Chandrashekar, on Thursday retired from the contest against Janata Dal (Secular) nominee Anita Kumaraswamy, wife of Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, and rejoined the Congress.
Mr. Chandrashekar, son of Congress Legislative Council member C.M. Lingappa, quit that party and joined the BJP only on October 10, 2018, following which he was given the ticket.
L. Chandrashekar
At a press conference he held along with Congress MP D K Suresh, Mr. Chandrashekar said he had returned to the Congress due to alleged non-cooperation of senior BJP leaders, including State president B.S. Yeddyurappa, in his electoral campaign.
Mr. Chandrashekar said the former BJP Minister, C. P. Yogeshwar, brought him to the BJP, promising all support to him in the run-up to the poll campaign. However, not a single BJP leader came to the constituency and campaigned for him, he alleged.
Mr Chandrashekar said he would submit a letter to the Returning Officer of the constituency, stating that he was retiring from the contest. He added that “the BJP is a divided house”.
In the Vokkaliga dominated constituency, the BJP has no strong mass base.
Today (November 1) is the last day of campaign for by-elections to three Lok Sabha and two Assembly seats in the State. The elections will be held on November 3 and results declared on November 6.
