HUBBALLI: In a sudden turn of events, BJP leader CP Yogeshwara resigned as MLC on Monday. He met Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti at the latter’s residence here and submitted his resignation letter. After the meeting, Horatti forwarded the resignation letter to the Council Secretariat for further action.
Yogeshwara, however, has not quit BJP. Horatti later told reporters that he had accepted Yogeshwara’s letter as he resigned voluntarily. Yogeshwar said, “To contest as an independent candidate in the byelection to the Legislative Assembly from Channapatna constituency, I have resigned as MLC. Being a member of the upper house, I cannot contest as an independent candidate. Hence, I decided to resign as the deadline to file nomination papers is fast approaching.”
He, however, still has hopes of being a candidate of BJP-JDS alliance. Because of this, he has not quit the saffron party. “I have not quit BJP. Once again I will appeal to the party’s central leadership and also to Union Minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy to consider my candidature,” he said and claimed that state BJP leaders are in favour of fielding him from Channapatna.
Asked if he would join Congress, he said, “As of now, I have resigned as MLC to contest as an independent candidate. But who knows what happens tomorrow? In the past too, I contested as an independent candidate and also from various parties. Soon, I will hold a meeting with my supporters and well-wishers and decide in this regard.”
Dismissing the possibility of contesting as a JDS candidate, he said that his supporters are against it. Even JDS workers are against it. He could only fight as a BJP candidate and it will help strengthen the saffron party’s base in the Old Mysore region, he added.