VIJAYAPURA: While there is a lot of uncertainty on whether the BJP will give tickets to the disqualified MLAs to contest the by-elections, veteran party leader and former Union Minister Ramesh Jigajinagi said that the party high command will not betray them, especially Ramesh Jarkiholi, as he played a key role in the collapse of the coalition government. Speaking to mediapersons on Saturday, Jigajinagi said, “It is because of Ramesh Jarkiholi that the BJP is at the helm in the state. The party will recognise his efforts and give him a ticket to contest the bypolls from Gokak.”
On Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) declared that the assembly bypolls for 15 constituencies in Karnataka will be held on October 21. The election model code of conduct will be enforced from Saturday. Jigajinagi said, “Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi will not be given a ticket to contest the bypolls from Athani assembly constituency as the former elected member, Mahesh Kumathalli of Congress, sacrificed his position to facilitate the rise of the BJP in the state. The party high command has other plans for Savadi, which will be revealed in the future.”
“Those who played a key role in the collapse of the coalition government will be given tickets. The party will kickstart the campaigns in all the constituencies, where the bypolls are announced and we are confident of making a clean sweep,” Jigajinagi added. Congress leader and former Home Minister MB Patil said, “I am 100 per cent sure that people will bless Congress in the bypolls because people expressed their anger against the disqualified legislators as they failed to turnup and console them during floods. We will win in at least 11 constituencies.
The party has already chalked out plans and also given responsibilities to the party leaders of the constituencies. Campaigning will start at the earliest,” Patil said.