Heartbreak, tears in K’taka BJP after list
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Even as the Karnataka BJP seemed to be at a loss about how to defend the allotment of tickets to half- a- dozen “tainted” leaders for the coming Assembly polls, the leaders who had been denied tickets expressed their disappointment and rage in a way not usually associated with politicians.
At least four BJP leaders who have been denied tickets broke down and cried in full sight of the media after the BJP released its second list of candidates for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections.
BJP MLC Shashil Namoshi, an aspirant for the Kalaburgi North ticket, could not control himself when reporters asked for his reaction. He cried for three- four minutes after which his son took him to another room to pacify him.
The ticket that Mr
The BJP has given tickets to former MLAs who watched porn clips in the Assembly a few years ago and is considering the candidature of S. A. Ramdas, who faced charges of sexual harassment, and Raghupathy Bhat, who was accused of killing his wife Namoshi was keen on has been given to the son of another former MLC.
In Bidar, Prakash Khandre, who was an aspirant for the BJP ticket from Bhalki constituency, also broke down while interacting with his supporters. Later his supporters set fire to tyres to express their displeasure over the denial of ticket to him. In Sagar, BJP leader Belur Gopalkrishna,
while addressing his supporters, could not control himself and broke down. His supporters allegedly took law into their hands and attacked a supporter of BJP candidate Haratalu Halappa. He was admitted to a private hospital. In Indi, too, unsuccessful BJP ticket aspirant Ravikanth Patil was all tears when he came face to face with his supporters. The BJP has given tickets to former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, who served a jail term for land related corruption charges, Haratalu Halappa, who faced rape charges, and former minister M. P. Renukacharya who faced charges of sexual assault. In Malur constituency, another tainted leader, Krishnaiah Setty, has got the ticket though he served a jail term along with party state president B. S. Yeddyurappa in denotification related cases.
Somashekara Reddy, younger brother of Gali Janardhan Reddy, who faced charges of bribing a judge to secure bail for his brother in an illegal mining case, has bagged the ticket for Ballari.
The BJP has also given tickets to former MLAs who watched porn clips in the Assembly a few years ago and is considering the candidatures of S. A. Ramdas from Mysuru and Raghupathy Bhat from Udupi. Mr Ramadas faced charges of sexual harassment while Mr Bhat was accused of killing his wife. When questioned about the allotment of tickets to tainted leaders, BJP state general secretary Shobha Karandlaje said the party central leadership has taken a decision in this regard after assessing the pros and cons.