BJP expels 2 rebel MLAs for anti-party activity
BENGALURU: Ruling BJP in Karnataka on Thursday expelled from its primary membership rebels Sharath Bachegowda and Kaviraj Urs, contesting the coming Assembly bypolls as independent candidates, for anti-party activity.
In separate letters to both Sharath Bachegowda fighting from Hoskote Assembly constituency and Urs from Vijayanagara, BJP said, their contest against the party’s official candidate was being considered as anti-party activity.
BJP on Wednesday had asked the party rebels to withdraw their candidature by Thursday, the last day for the process. As the two did not withdraw their candidature, the sent the letters, a copy of which has been released to the media. After the BJP gave the Hoskote ticket to disqualified Congress Legislator M T B Nagaraj, Sharath Bachegowda has jumped into the fray as an independent. JD(S) has decided to support him and has not fielded a candidate. Son of BJP MP from Chikkaballapura B N Bachegowda, he had remained adamant on contesting with repeated attempts by the party leadership to persuade him to back out in vain. Sharath Bachegowda, who was also secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha, had earlier been appointed Chairman of Karnataka Housing Board by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in an attempt to “pacify” him.