BJP central leadership discussed with me before announcing candidates for RS polls: CM B S Yediyurappa

BJP’s Rajya Sabha election candidates Eranna Kadadi and Ashok Gasti filed their nomination papers Tuesday even as Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said the decision to field them was “discussed with me”.

The BJP's central leadership on Monday had sprung a surprise by fielding Eranna Kadadi and Ashok Gasti as its candidates for the Rajya Sabha election ignoring the recommendations of the party's state unit.

Also read — BJP delivers shock, selects Kadadi, Gasti for RS polls

By picking Kadadi and Gasti, the BJP central leadership overlooked the Karnataka BJP’s recommendation of fielding incumbent Prabhakar Kore, former MP Ramesh Katti and hotelier Prakash Shetty.

“Our core committee had sent some names, but finally, our national leaders discussed with me and said they had decided to field ordinary party workers,” Yediyurappa told reporters. “This was decided at a meeting presided by PM Modi. It's not just here, but in all states that they're fielding ordinary party workers.”

Yediyurappa hailed the decision to field Kadadi and Gasti. “This is a big gift to our party workers. For this, I thank PM Modi, our national president JP Nadda and Amit Shah,” Yediyurappa said, adding that he was confident Kadadi and Gasti would do well in the Rajya Sabha. “I think only the BJP can take a decision like this...giving opportunities to ordinary workers.”

Yediyurappa, his Deputy Laxman Savadi, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, Tourism Minister CT Ravi and Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi were present when Kadadi and Gasti filed their nomination papers.

Speaking to reporters here, he expressed confidence that both candidates would work effectively in Rajya Sabha. "Only BJP can take such decisions and give an opportunity to ordinary karyakartas. From our core committee (state) we had sent some names, but ultimately our national president spoke to me and said it has been decided to give tickets to ordinary party workers, we discussed it, after which the two names have been finalised."

The state BJP core committee on Saturday had recommended three names to high command as probable candidates - Ramesh Katti, the brother of senior MLA Umesh Katti, incumbent Prabhakar Kore and hotelier Prakash Shetty. Ignoring the state unit's recommendation, two low-key workers Kadadi and Gasti, who have been associated with the party organisation for long, were announced on Monday afternoon by the central leadership.

Responding to a question about new names other than the ones decided by the state core committee being announced, Yediyurappa said, "We had sent names after deciding in the core committee. In Delhi under the leadership of the prime minister, senior leaders have met and decided to give tickets to ordinary party workers."

"It is not for our state alone, the decision is applicable to other states also, I welcome it," he said.

Also read — BJP loyalist who missed MLC bus gets rewarded with RS ticket

While, Kadadi, a Lingayat is party's Belagavi division in-charge; Gasti from Savitha Samaj (barber community) from Raichur district is party in-charge for the Bellary division. Both have backgrounds with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and have worked for the organisation at the grass-root level for decades. They will be filing nominations today.

The announcement of two names came as a complete surprise to the party's state unit and has certainly given a clear message to its leadership, a senior party functionary said, adding "it is a clear indication that loyalty to the party and ideology is what matters, and not to any particular leader." It is also part of a strategy to nurture and elevate second-rung leaders, he noted.

The move is also being seen as a setback to Yediyurappa, as names considered close to him have not been considered. This has come at a time for Yediyurappa when there are speculations about dissidence within the state BJP against his leadership, with several MLAs, especially from north Karnataka recently holding separate meetings. The election is scheduled on June 19 to fill four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka, represented by Rajeev Gowda and B K Hariprasad of Congress, Prabhakar Kore of the BJP and D Kupendra Reddy of JD(S) that will fall vacant on June 25, with their retirement. The BJP, with 117 members in the assembly (including Speaker), can ensure easy victory in two seats.

(With inputs from PTI)