Disqualified MLA R. Shankar has missed the Bharatiya Janata Party ticket to contest the bypolls from Ranebennur as the party has chosen local leader Arun Kumar Guthur (Poojar) instead. Earlier, the BJP had refused to induct disqualified MLA R. Roshan Baig into the party fold.
Mr. Shankar, who won the previous Assembly elections on Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janata Party (KPJP) ticket, was keen to contest on BJP ticket after he switched from the Congress to the BJP and was disqualified in the process. Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa’s son Kanthesh too was an aspirant for BJP ticket for this seat.
However, the party zeroed in on Mr. Guthur, a local businessman who had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections in 2013. He is believed to have been preferred as he is a local and also belongs to the Panchamashali Lingayat community that has dominant presence in the constituency.
Sop to Shankar
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced the candidature of Mr. Guthur in Bengaluru on Friday after holding consultations with Mr. Shankar. Formal clearance of his name by the party central election committee came later. Earlier, a large number of supporters of Mr. Shankar had gathered near the Chief Minister’s residence to protest against the possibility of their leader missing out on the party ticket. However, Mr. Yediyurappa convinced Mr. Shankar not to contest the Assembly polls by assuring him an MLC post and ministerial berth.
However, Mr. Shankar had to face embarrassing moments after his protesting supporters turned their anger towards him when he announced that he had decided against contesting.
Assuaging Savadi
Meanwhile, Mr. Yediyurappa also made efforts to assuage the feelings of Deputy Chief Minister Laxman R. Savadi, who was upset over not getting party ticket to contest from Athani. The party fielded disqualified MLA Mahesh Kumathalli here.
Mr. Savadi came to the residence of Mr. Yediyurappa along with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai. After the meeting, Mr. Savadi told reporters that he was a “disciplined soldier of the party” and would work for the success of the party candidate in Athani. “When the party has rewarded me with the Deputy Chief Minister’s post despite my defeat in the previous Assembly polls, I have full faith in the leadership that it would take care of my future too,” he remarked.
