Minister Murugesh Nirani hinted on Wednesday that he was all set to quit the BJP, by taking part in a convention of KJP workers here, reports DHNS from Jamkhandi (Bagalkot).
He was sitting in the front row, along with the audience. But soon, leaders on the dais demanded that he sit with them and he obliged.
Speaking on the occasion, he said he would contest from the Jamakhandi seat, but he would announce the party he would contest from at 5 pm on April 5.
Nirani said he had requested Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar to give him the BJP ticket to contest from Jamakhandi, in place of present MLA from the seat, Srikanth Kulkarni.
The minister said Shettar had told him that a decision would be taken at the core committee meeting.
Meanwhile, Shettar told reporters in Hubli that Nirani would not quit the BJP and that reports in this regard were mere rumours.
Minister Basavaraj Bommai would also continue in the BJP, he said. The chief minister denied that the BJP and JD(S) had a secret pact for the elections.
