MYSURU/BENGALURU: These days there has been a continuous knock, knock at the BJP office. Ever since the Delhi bosses gave tickets to party workers for the Rajya Sabha, stressing on cadres, aspirations seem to be running high for tickets for the Legislative Council polls scheduled for June 29. Of the 12 seats (seven vacancies and five to be nominated), BJP can get nine, and at least 100 ticket hopefuls seem to have approached the party head office in Bengaluru.
With its surprise decision of giving ticket to party cadres Eranna Kadadi and Ashok Gasti, the BJP seems to have opened a Pandora’s box. While this move to reward the grassroot workers has brought them cheer, some biggies like A H Vishwanath and M T B Nagaraj who joined the BJP last year, who were hoping to take the Council route to become ministers, seem to be apprehensive. Although Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has assured them in this regard, the RS list seems to have come as a shocker to them.
In the Legislative Council, election will be held for seven seats with the term of Naseer Ahmed, Jayamma, M C Venugopal, N S Bose Raju, H M Revanna, T A Saravana, and D U Mallikarjuna ending on June 30. With 117 MLAs, BJP can get four seats (they need 28 MLAs’ vote for MLC). This apart, the State Government can appoint five nominated members, who will also be from the ruling BJP.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, state Tourism Minister and senior BJP member C T Ravi said that at least 100 aspirants had approached the BJP office, seeking ticket for the Upper House. “We are eligible to get nine seats and after scrutiny, the core committee in the State will decide and send it to the National core committee which will decide on the names,’’ the minister said.
Asked if there will be any disappointment or more unhappy members, Ravi said like for Rajya Sabha, the core committee will select the best and eligible candidates. Another senior minister on the condition of anonymity said that unlike in 2009, when BJP was in power only in the state, this time the party is in power both at the Centre and in the State.
Candidates to be finalised by Friday
“Also, the party leadership too has changed at the national level. By choosing two ordinary party workers for the RS ticket, the party leaders have sent a strong message. This has given some boost to the party workers to approach the State office. Even within the party, many senior BJP leaders are insisting that tickets be given to old-timers,” the minister said.
BJP MLC Ravi Kumar said they are expected to finalise the candidates by June 12 and the central leaders will clear the names by June 18. BJP divisional convener Y V Ravishankar said that the focus on grassroots has boosted the morale of many partymen who had dreamt of nomination to the Council, boards and corporations.