Reacting sharply to Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi's statement that disqualified MLAs are not BJP's concern, Hukkeri legislator Umesh Katti said on Friday "You must remember that you have become DyCM because of the 'rebel' Congress and JD(S) MLAs.
Speaking to the reporters at his residence at Bellad Bagewadi, Katti said, "The Yediyurappa-led BJP government came to power because of the disqualified MLAs. Savadi must remember it. They (disqualified MLAs) played a vital role in helping the BJP wrest the power from the Congress-JD(S) coalition. We should give tickets to the disqualified MLAs (if their disqualification is overturned) for the bypolls. It is my personal opinion. But I will strive for the victory of the party irrespective of whoever gets the ticket."
"Yediyurappa has pedalled across the state to build the party from scratch. His journey from municipality to chief minister's chair and leadership qualities are unrivalled. The party should not even think of nurturing Savadi as an alternative to Yediyurappa," Katti said.
"Anyone can be DyCM. There's no provision for DyCM post in the Constitution," Katti said targeting Savadi.
BJP not bothered
Earlier in the day, reacting to a query on the Supreme Court hearing on the disqualified MLAs plea Savadi had said, "Why should we worry about disqualified MLAs. BJP is not bothered about them. "The disqualified MLAs have never said that they would join the BJP. They have moved the Supreme Court challenging the Speaker's decision to disqualify their membership while the Congress is waging a legal battle against them for betraying the party. It is their dispute and in no way concerned with the BJP," Savadi had said.
Savadi, who had lost to Mahesh Kumathhalli, one of the disqualified MLAs, in 2018 Assembly polls from Athani, is aspiring to contest the bypolls.
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