'BJP should give all debarred MLAs ticket to contest bypoll'

Disqualified MLA A H Vishwanath on Sunday said the BJP should give all the 17 debarred MLAs a ticket to contest the byelections.

All the 17 MLAs should get a ticket from the BJP after they join the party... It is we, the 17 people (MLAs) who formed the BJP government," said Vishwanath while speaking to reporters at Balagodu in Kodagu district.

Based on the Supreme Court judgement, a decision will be taken, but everybody has to get a BJP ticket, Vishwanath said.

The expelled JD(S) leader was among the 17 MLAs whose resignation dislodged the coalition government of Congress and the JD(S) headed by H D Kumaraswamy.

The then Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar had disqualified them as MLAs, ruling that those disqualified cease to be MLAs with immediate effect till the expiry of the 15th assembly (in 2023), which they have challenged in the Supreme Court, and the matter is being heard by the apex court.

Vishwanath conceded that the issue of contesting election depends on the Supreme Court verdict, which he said is likely to come out on November 4 or November 5.

The byelection to 15 assembly constituencies would take place on December 5 and the disqualified MLAs intend to contest the bypoll.