S T Somashekhar.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Former minister and BJP MLA S T Somashekhar on Friday hit back at Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka over his remarks that the party has not taken leaders, like Shivaram Hebbar and him, into consideration.
Somashekhar asked Ashoka to remain silent until the party’s central disciplinary committee takes a decision regarding his position.
Addressing a press conference, Somashekhar said, “If I am forced to leave the BJP, Ashoka will be entirely responsible.” He recalled that he had spent several years in the Congress before joining the BJP, where he served as a minister for three years. “During my time in the BJP, I never engaged in anti-party activities,” he asserted.
Referring to the 2023 Assembly elections, Somashekhar alleged that BJP leaders in Yeshwanthpur had joined hands with his rival to defeat him. “I repeatedly sought Ashoka’s intervention to resolve the dissidence, but he failed to act. His inaction played a major role in the situation I am facing today,” he said. Somashekhar reiterated that any future decision to leave the party would be a consequence of Ashoka’s failure to address internal issues.