BJP MLC Ayanur Manjunath To Quit Post To Contest Karnataka Polls, Likely To Resign From Party

Manjunath’s was irked over BJP leader and former minister KS Eshwarappa making efforts to secure a ticket for his son KE Kantesh from Shivamogga seat, from where Manjunath is also aspiring to contest 

BJP MLC Ayanur Manjunath

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party leader and MLC Ayanur Manjunath on Monday said that he would resign from the post and contest the Karnataka Assembly polls from the Shivamogga constituency, reported news agency ANI. He did not specify whether he would contest from another party or as an Independent candidate. 

Manjunath’s statement came after being irked over BJP leader and former minister KS Eshwarappa making efforts to secure a ticket for his son KE Kantesh from Shivamogga seat, which is currently represented by Eshwarappa. 

"There are no signs of the BJP honouring my request for a ticket, instead names of children of some leaders are said to have found mention in the list....I will certainly contest this time.....I will soon be resigning from my MLC post," Manjunath told reporters in Shivamogga. 

He also challenged Eshwarappa or Kantesh to contest against him in the polls, as he hit out at the former for seeking a ticket for his son, rather than for those who worked with him to build the party, and also for allegedly making certain comments against him. 

As per the report, Eshwarappa is said to be making efforts to ensure that his son gets a BJP ticket from Shivamogga this time, from where Manjunath is also aspiring to contest. 

If Manjunath resigns, he would be the third BJP MLC to do so after Puttanna and Baburao Chinchansur, ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls. 

Both Puttanna and Chinchansur have joined the Congress. While Puttanna has been fielded by Congress from the Rajaji Nagar constituency in Bengaluru, Chinchansur is likely to enter the fray from Gurmitkal in Kalaburagi district.

The 224-member Karnataka Assembly will undergo polls in a single phase on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.