Bengaluru: In a big embarrassment to the BJP, party candidate for the Ramanagara assembly by-election, Chandrasekar has retired.
In a press release, Chandrasekar informed that, as the BJP leaders are not taking up any campaign in the constituency, he has been left in a lurch and hence, he has decided to retire.
Chandrasekar, son of Congress MLC CM Lingappa, had joined the BJP just two days before the last date for submission of nomination papers to the Ramanagara assembly constituency by-election.
The by-election is necessitated following the resignation of CM H D Kumaraswamy, who was elected from two constituencies. The JD(S) fielded HDK’s wife Anita Kumaraswamy as the party’s candidate, a choice that is supported by their coalition partner- the Congress party.
According to sources, major irrigation minister DK Shivakumar played a major role in Chandrasekar’s decision. “It was a masterstroke by DKS,” said sources in the Congress.
Reactions:
Reacting to news of BJP’s candidate Chandrasekar’s retirement, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said that the BJP should blame themselves instead of pointing fingers at the JD(S) and Congress parties. “They (BJP) forced him (Chandrasekar) to join them and failed to fulfil their promises to him. Party workers were not consulted before giving him a ticket,” said the CM.
Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda of the BJP also reacted to the development. Speaking to reporters, DVS said that the people of Ramanagara and God will not forgive Chandrasekar for his betrayal to the party. “He was previously in the Congress where he suffered a lot. Then, he joined the BJP and said that he wanted to contest in the Ramanagara Assembly by-polls. That is why he was given the ticket. And now, he has betrayed the BJP. He has ruined his own political career by doing this,” said a miffed DVS.
