History-sheeter will not join party, says BJP

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced on Friday that BJP will not induct history-sheeter ‘Silent’ Sunil into the party. Party president Nalin Kumar Kateel also announced this in a tweet.

Following a barrage of criticism by the Opposition Congress, after the rowdy was seen with BJP leaders at an event and rumours of him joining party started doing the rounds, the Chief Minister had earlier in the day asked Congress to count the number of rowdy sheeters among its own rank and file.

“How many rowdy sheeters are there in Congress?” Chief Minister had asked, speaking to reporters in Delhi, when asked about the incident. BJP Karnataka tweeted alleging KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar was once an associate of notorious rowdy Kotwal Ramachandra and was “promoted as party president from Tihar Jail.”

Opposition Congress, however, continued its attack. Priyank Kharge, spokesperson, Karnataka Congress, said BJP was “sabotaging the morale of the State’s police force by creating a situation where police would end up having to salute to a wanted rowdy sheeter.” The party in a series of tweets on Tuesday, taunted the BJP for seeming to induct history sheeters into the party. “As if 40% commission is not enough, BJP seems keen on hafta vasooli as well and inducting rowdies for the same,” said one tweet. “BJP may soon create a rowdy morcha,” said another.

Why only point fingers?

At Mysuru, when his attention was drawn to Mr. Bommai’s defence of the BJP leaders and his claim that even Congress had leaders against whom history sheets had been opened, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the BJP, particularly Mr. Bommai, was suffering from a “disease” of pointing a finger at the Congress for all their faults. “Talk about your faults first,” he said.

Eventually, the BJP sprung into damage control mode. Mr. Kateel tweeted out a statement that the party will never induct ‘Silent’ Sunil.

Minutes later Mr. Bommai also tweeted that his statement earlier in the day shouldn’t be construed wrongly and that BJP will never tolerate rowdy-sheeters and Silent Sunil will not be inducted into the party.