Karnataka By-polls: BJP expels rebel candidate Sharath Bachegowda

Ahead of by-polls in Karnataka, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday has expelled rebel candidate Sharath Bache Gowda, who is contesting from Hoskote constituency as an independent candidate.

On November 13, Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday had said that his party JDS is ready to support Sharath Bache Gowda in Hoskote constituency if he contested independently in the upcoming by-polls.

Sharath Bachegowda, son of BJP MP BN Bache Gowda, announced his decision to contest as an independent candidate from Hoskote constituency in the upcoming by-polls earlier today.

According to sources, Bachegowda was confident that he will get a ticket from the BJP to contest the elections. However, BJP is reportedly looking to field disqualified MLA MTB Nagaraj from the constituency after the Supreme Court allowed him to contest elections.

Sources also say that it could be tough for the party to handle the internal feud as many BJP leaders are turning towards Congress and JDS.

Earlier, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the then Karnataka speaker KR Ramesh Kumar to disqualify 17 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs under the anti-defection law but ruled that they can contest the upcoming by-elections in the state.

The rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs were disqualified and barred from contesting the elections after they resigned which led to the collapse of a 14-month old Congress-JDS coalition government, led by Kumaraswamy in the state in July this year.