RS polls: After snub, state BJP puts up unity show

The BJP put up a united front as its Rajya Sabha election candidates Eranna Kadadi and Ashok Gasti filed their nomination papers on Tuesday.

Giving them the tickets was seen as a snub on the state leadership, which had pushed for its own list.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said that the nomination of ordinary party workers was insisted by the party central leadership.

“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 Prime Minister 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 J P Nadda and Amit Shah,” Yediyurappa said. He added 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.”

Both the candidates filed nominations at Vidhana Soudha during the noon, accompanied by the chief minster, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel and Tourism Minister C T Ravi. Eight-time MLA Umesh Katti, his brother Ramesh Katti and incumbent Rajya Sabha MP Prabhakar Kore - said to be unhappy with the list of candidates - also arrived at Vidhana Soudha ahead of the nominations.

While Umesh Katti refused to comment, Ramesh said that though he was hopeful of the nomination, he welcomed the decision of the high command. Kore, meanwhile, thanked the party for nominating him for two terms.

Kadadi, speaking to the media, said that national and state leadership had nominated him and there was no bitterness among its leaders. To a question, he said that he might be new to the media but not to the party, which he had served for long. “Based on my experience, I have the capacity to take decisions that would benefit the state,” he said.

Gasti, to a question, dismissed allegations that he worked against Yediyurappa in the past.

Speaking to reporters, Kateel said that both the candidates had worked for the organisation. “This has showed that BJP is a different party and increased faith among lakhs of workers about the party,” he said.