Limbikai says he will be BJP candidate, not Horatti for Karnataka Council elections

'Horatti would not get BJP ticket as his age has crossed 75 years,' Limbikai said

In the wake of Legislative Council chairman Basavaraj Horatti's statement that he would contest the forthcoming Council elections from West Teachers' constituency on a BJP ticket, former BJP MLC Mohan Limbikai claimed that the state BJP has already recommended only his (Limbikai's) name to the Central leadership, and that he would be the official candidate of the party.

"Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar asked me to conduct enrollment of voters, do campaigning and tour four districts in the constituency. I have already campaigned by visiting schools and colleges, and enrolled 10,000 voters. I will be the official candidate of the BJP, and Horatti will not get the party ticket as he's aged above 75 years," Limbikai said.

Also Read | In a jolt to JD(S), Horatti to contest next MLC polls on BJP ticket

Limbikai added that the announcement of his name had been delayed due to some technical issues.

Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, Limbikai said, "Nobody invited Horatti to the BJP, but he himself claims that he had spoken to BJP national president J P Nadda that he would contest from BJP. During his prolonged stay with the JD(S), Horatti did not organise the party in the region. He knows that he could not win as JD(S) or independent candidate."

Moreover, Horatti spoke about contesting elections on a BJP ticket, without resigning as the Council chairman, which is not correct, Limbikai charged.

Horatti failed to protect teachers' interests in the last five years. The BJP workers have a feeling that the party would not benefit if the JD(S) joins it, he claimed.

Check out DH's latest videos: