<p class="title">Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had to face the ire of party workers on Tuesday as scores of BJP workers staged a protest outside his house Tuesday morning opposing the candidature of disqualified MLA MTB Nagaraj from the Hosakote Assembly segment for the bypolls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">They demanded that the BJP ticket be given to Sharath Bachegowda, the BJP Yuva Morcha secretary and son of Chikkaballapur MP B N Bachegowda. Sharath had unsuccessfully contested against Nagaraj in 2018.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The protesters accused the disqualified Congress MLA of harassing BJP workers and threatened to work against the saffron party if Nagaraj was given the ticket from the constituency. A delegation of five members, who were part of the protest, also met Chief Minister Yeddiyurappa and urged him to issue the ‘B’ form to Sharath.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Attempts of the chief minister to convince the delegation of Nagaraj’s candidature - as he had backed BJP and ensured its return to power in Karnataka - was dismissed by the delegation, who accused the MLA of harassing BJP workers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gopala Gowda, brother of Bachegowda - who was part of the delegation - is said to have threatened of imminent defeat to BJP if Nagaraj was the party’s candidate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, speculation is rife that the Congress may look to lure Sharath or he may contest as an Independent if BJP denies his candidature.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prior to the protest, Nagaraj met Yediyurappa following ambiguity over his candidature on the BJP ticket. During the meeting, Yediyurappa is said to have assured an angry Nagaraj - unhappy over the opposition by local BJP units - that he will be taken care of.</p>
<p class="title">Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had to face the ire of party workers on Tuesday as scores of BJP workers staged a protest outside his house Tuesday morning opposing the candidature of disqualified MLA MTB Nagaraj from the Hosakote Assembly segment for the bypolls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">They demanded that the BJP ticket be given to Sharath Bachegowda, the BJP Yuva Morcha secretary and son of Chikkaballapur MP B N Bachegowda. Sharath had unsuccessfully contested against Nagaraj in 2018.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The protesters accused the disqualified Congress MLA of harassing BJP workers and threatened to work against the saffron party if Nagaraj was given the ticket from the constituency. A delegation of five members, who were part of the protest, also met Chief Minister Yeddiyurappa and urged him to issue the ‘B’ form to Sharath.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Attempts of the chief minister to convince the delegation of Nagaraj’s candidature - as he had backed BJP and ensured its return to power in Karnataka - was dismissed by the delegation, who accused the MLA of harassing BJP workers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Gopala Gowda, brother of Bachegowda - who was part of the delegation - is said to have threatened of imminent defeat to BJP if Nagaraj was the party’s candidate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, speculation is rife that the Congress may look to lure Sharath or he may contest as an Independent if BJP denies his candidature.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Prior to the protest, Nagaraj met Yediyurappa following ambiguity over his candidature on the BJP ticket. During the meeting, Yediyurappa is said to have assured an angry Nagaraj - unhappy over the opposition by local BJP units - that he will be taken care of.</p>
