The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the candidature of Muniraju Gowda P.M. (Tulasi) for the March 15 Legislative Council bypolls in Karnataka.
This is seen as a rehabilitation for Mr. Gowda, who was aggrieved at the induction of Munirathna. Mr. Gowda is perceived to be close to B.L. Santhosh, national general secretary (organisation), BJP.
Mr. Gowda, a past candidate of the party from R.R. Nagar constituency in the city, had opposed the inclusion of Mr. Munirathna, a former Congress MLA from R.R. Nagar who defected to the BJP along with 16 other MLAs from the Congress and the JD(S), paving the way for the BJP to come to power in the State in 2019.
He was also an aspirant for the party’s ticket in the bypoll to R.R. Nagar constituency, but the party sided with Mr. Munirathna as it had committed itself to fielding him in the bypoll. Though Mr. MuniratHna won the bypoll, he was not inducted into the Cabinet during the recent expansion.
