BJP won’t field disqualified MLAs for bypolls: Katti

In an interesting twist to the ongoing political drama, BJP MLA Umesh Katti has said that the party would not issue tickets to disqualified Congress MLAs for the bypolls to three Assembly constituencies in Belagavi district.

Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, the eight-time MLA from Hukkeri said, “BJP will field Laxman Savadi from Athani, Ashok Pujari from Gokak and Raju Kage from Kagwad.

Reacting to Katti’s statement that the BJP will not issue tickets to the disqualified MLAs in Belagavi, Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi said, “Katti is not the authority to issue BJP ticket. It is the party leadership which will decide whom to field. We will accept the high command’s decision.

Meanwhile, disqualified Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, his brother-in-law Ambi Rao Patil and Laxman Savadi left on Sunday left to Bengaluru in the same plane from Sambra airport. Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Aravind Limbavali said in Chitradurga that there was no clarity on all disqualified MLAs jointing the party.

“BJP government has come to power in the state due to resignation of 17 MLAs and there is information that some of them may join the party. But, there is no clarity on all of them joining BJP. It is natural that people who have built the party will not be happy with such development,” he said.

Limbavali said that difference of opinion between Yediyurappa and BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel is created by media and that the former had not been taking any unilateral decision.