Most BJP MLAs may get ticket to contest Karnataka polls: Yediyurappa

It is most likely that sitting party MLAs, barring four to six, will get tickets to contest the Assembly polls by May, said the veteran BJP leader and party’s Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday (March 7) at Kalaburagi.

The decision on who the next Chief Minister will be taken up at the BJP legislature party meeting after the elections, said the party’s strongman, who was recently given a lot of respect and prominence by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Karnataka.

“There are more chances that most of the sitting MLAs, other than four or six of them, will be given the tickets,” the former CM said, responding to a question whether all the sitting legislators will get the tickets.

Asked whether BJP is planning to get leaders from other parties and induct them into the BJP ahead of polls, he said, “Welcome to anyone who wants to join, and those who want to quit, can go out happily…Many are willing to join the party, we will welcome them.”

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To a question on who will be BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate, Yediyurappa said, it will be decided at the legislature party meeting after the election, and now the polls will be held under the leadership of CM Basavaraj Bommai.

Responding to a question that people may “go away” from the BJP, sensing that a leader like Yediyurappa will no more be its CM face, he said, “there is no such thing, wherever I’m travelling we are getting huge response, people are gathering beyond our expectations, seeing all this it is certain that we will win more than 140 seats and come to power with a clear majority, no one can stop it.”

The octogenarian has already announced his retirement from electoral politics, by declaring that he will not be contesting the upcoming Assembly polls.

The political warhorse also chided Congress stating that its leaders are dreaming about becoming the CM, which will never happen.