Rebel MLAs assured BJP tickets: BSY

BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday assuaged concerns of the 15 disqualified lawmakers, whose resignations brought down the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) or JDS coalition government in the state in July, saying ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah has assured that they would be given tickets.

This comes a day after BJP lawmaker Umesh Katti said that the ruling party’s candidates would be fielded for the December 5 by-elections to the 15 seats that have been vacant since the lawmakers were disqualified. The lawmakers have challenged their disqualification before the Supreme Court and the matter would be heard on October 22.

“It has been decided… in the upcoming by-elections, those who resigned and aspire to contest as BJP candidates have been assured by the BJP national president Amit Shah that they will be given tickets,” Yediyurappa told reporters. K Sudhakar, one of the disqualified lawmakers, said the BJP government owed its existence to the rebels. “It is because of our sacrifice that they have got this [power]. The people have seen this,” he said.

Congress state president Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “The chief minister has admitted on the record now... there should be no doubt that the BJP was involved in destabilising the [Congress-JDS] coalition government.” JDS’s Sa Ra Mahesh said, “Yediyurappa has made it clear that the... [defections] had the [BJP] central leadership’s backing.”