My first preference was BJP: Lingayat MLC Manjunath post joining JD(S)

Janata Dal (Secular) candidate from Shivamogga central constituency for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls Ayanur Manjunath on Thursday said that his first preference was the Bharatiya Janata Party followed by Congress and JD(S) for contesting the elections.

Manjunath, a former BJP MLC and a prominent Lingayat face, resigned from the party on Thursday over the denial of the ticket from the Shivamogga constituency and joined the JD(S).

With this, he became the 10th legislator to quit the saffron party ahead of the Assembly polls in the state. The BJP has fielded Channabasappa, considered close to KS Eshwarappa, from the seat.

Speaking to ANI, Manjunath said that he joined the party as former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy promised him of giving a chance in the party.

"My options were open. My first preference was BJP, second was anybody. It may be Congress or JD(S). My third preference was Independent if nobody was prepared to announce my name. That was my stand, I declared in public. JD (S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said that he will give me a chance, and he will support my thinking, so I joined the party," he said.

When asked about the reason for the denial of the ticket from the BJP, Manjunath said that he was given various chances by the party in the past which may have pushed them to think of a new candidate for the seat.

"They have provided me four chances, Rajya Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. They might have thought why another chance should be given," he said.

Manjunath was a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka from 2010 and 2016. He was also an MP in the 12th Lok Sabha.

Today is the last date for filing nominations, and the last day to withdraw nominations is April 24.

Karnataka Assembly polls will be held on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.