BENGALURU: BJP leader Sharath Bache Gowda, who had threatened to contest as an Independent candidate from Hoskote if the party denies him a ticket for the December 5 bypolls, stayed away from Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s event in the taluk on Monday.
Yediyurappa too did not make any reference to him in his speech, but appreciated disqualified MLA MTB Nagaraj. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Chikkaballapura (Hoskote is part of his constituency) MP Bache Gowda said he was informed about the event. “I was informed by the chief minister’s office. I have not been well for the last two days, and could attend the event,’’ he said.
About his son’s demand to contest from Hoskote, he said the matter is before the Supreme Court. “The BJP has not announced tickets to disqualifed Nagaraj nor to Sharath. It’s too early. I am a BJP leader, and so will my son. We are not going to leave the party,’’ he maintained.
It can be recalled that Yediyurappa had offered Sharath the role of chairperson of Housing Corporation, which the latter had turned down. Sharath had contested in the 2018 Assembly elections against MTB Nagaraj, and had lost by a small margin.