BENGALURU: In a turn of events in the BJP, former Union Minister and Bengaluru North Lok Sabha member D V Sadananda Gowda, who recently declared his retirement from electoral politics, sprang a surprise that he would reconsider his stance. He claimed that leaders of his constituency were pressuring him to contest the 2024 polls.
“Leaders and workers have been exerting pressure on me though I have decided to pave the way for a new generation of leaders. I have no opposition from any of the leaders in the eight assembly constituencies under my LS seat. Our senior leaders called me on Wednesday and asked me to contest again. Let us see how things pan out,” he told reporters on Thursday, a few minutes before attending a special meeting convened by BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra. He also said that former ministers Byrati Basavaraj and S T Somashekar — who has distanced himself from the BJP — have also been insisting that he contest again.
On Wednesday, former CM Basavaraj Bommai, LoP R Ashoka, and former minister Dr C N Ashwathnarayana had called on Gowda to pacify him, as he was reportedly peeved that the high command is not taking state leaders into confidence while taking key decisions. “Sadananda Gowda had announced his retirement. We met him to insist he reconsiders his decision on contesting polls, or else respects the party’s stand,” Ashwathnarayana told reporters on Thursday.
Sources said it was a move to checkmate former BJP national general secretary CT Ravi, whom the party high command wants to contest from Bengaluru North. “The party will decide what I should become as I demanded very little from the party. Baradu bappadu, bappadu tappadu (whatever doesn’t come my way will not come, and whatever comes can never be stopped),” Ravi said, in reply to whether he would contest from Bengaluru North.
He denied that Ashwathnarayana and Ashoka were trying to stop him from entering Bengaluru politics. “Ashwathnarayana is my relative, and Ashoka is my brother, and I get along well with everyone. I will keep it up in the future as well,” he maintained.
According to a source, former CM B S Yediyurappa and BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra want H C Thammesh Gowda to be the party’s Bengaluru North LS candidate.