K. Raghupathi Bhat, former BJP MLA, said on Sunday, May 26, that the party workers will “reply suitably” to the saffron party in the Legislative Council elections from South West Graduates’ Constituency for expelling him from the party.
At the same time, while reacting to his expulsion in Udupi he posed several questions to the State Disciplinary Committee of the party that expelled him.
The three-term MLA who is contesting as a rebel against Dhananjay Sarji of the BJP said that the committee should make it clear from which post he (Mr. Bhat) has been expelled as the party has not given him any position in the party now. “I am not even a member of the State executive and I am only a party worker,” he said.
Mr. Bhat said that the expulsion notice did not reach him and he came to know about it only through media reports.
Poses questions
Posing questions to the committee, Mr. Bhat asked which disciplinary action it took against those who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election. “Did you (the committee) expel two MLAs who cross-voted? What action did you take against those who violated the Whip?” he asked. “Did you expel the MLAs who supported Congress in the Lok Sabha elections?” he asked.
What action did the committee take against insiders who worked against the party invisibly, he questioned.
“I am a poor party worker. Hence, you (the party) expelled me. I am not perturbed. I will win the elections,” he said.
Mr. Bhat said that there should be an “equitable justice” in expelling a worker.
Indirectly hits at Lingayat lobby
Indirectly hitting at the dominance of the “Lingayat lobby” in the BJP, the former MLA said that the party denied its ticket to four MLAs of Udupi district to contest the last Assembly elections. “Can this be done in Shivamogga, Bagalkot, Hubballi and Bengaluru?” he asked.
Mr. Bhat said that former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had criticised the party leaders like anything after quitting the BJP and joining the Congress a year ago. But he was taken back and issued the ticket to contest the Lok Sabha election from Belagavi.
Coastal belt taken for granted
The former MLA said that the BJP acts as per its whims and fancies while dealing with the party workers of the coastal belt. “The party workers in the coastal belt are more disciplined. Hence, they invited more punishment,” he said adding that the workers in the belt worked with dedication for “Sangha and BJP.”
Mr. Bhat reiterated that the party should have reserved the South West Graduates’ Constituency seat to a candidate from the coastal belt. But it has fielded a candidate from Shivamogga.
He said that he is unhappy over the “system” in the BJP.
