Denied ticket, Savadi decides to quit BJP

Belagavi, Apr 12 Senior BJP leader and former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on Wednesday decided to resign from the primary membership of the party.
“Do I have to beg for the ticket? I am resigning from the primary membership of the party and also submitting my resignation from the post of MLC,” he told reporters here.
However, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to Savadi not to take any step in a hurry as there is still a good future for him in the BJP.
Savadi said he would take a tacit decision tomorrow after discussing the matter with his supporters as he put a premium on the people of Athani constituency rather than the party’s central leadership.
The prominent Lingayat leader was denied ticket from Athani and Mahesh Kumtahalli, a close aide of Ramesh Jarkiholi, has been fielded from the constituency.
Kumatahalli has been one of the prominent leaders in bringing down the JDS-Congress government to form BS Yediyurappa government in 2019.
Savadi, a Yediyurappa loyalist, is one of the strongest Lingayat leaders, but lost to the Congress candidate Kumatahalli in the 2018 elections.
He also blamed Jarkiholi for denying him the ticket. Jarkiholi had threatened not to contest the election from Gokak if the party denied a ticket to Kumathalli and Shrimant Patil.
Replying to another query, Savadi said he and CC Patil had brought Bommai to the BJP, but he did not show any courtesy to speak about it with him. “He (Bommai) has the opportunity to even become Prime Minister. After Modi completes 75 years, he may become the PM,” he said.
Savadi said Bommai had assured him of a ticket for 2023 polls in lieu of opting out of MLC polls. He also requested the party’s central leadership to reconsider its decision and field him from Athani.
Even Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and KS Eshwarappa had promised him a ticket for the 2023 polls four years ago during the Athani bypoll, he said.
Meanwhile, Bommai has appealed to Savadi not to take any decision in haste as he still has a good future in BJP.
“I spoke to Laxman Savadi and told him not to make any hasty decisions. I have an emotional connection with Savadi. I am in constant touch with him. The party held his hands when he was in trouble. His hand will be held in future too. He has a good future ahead of him,” he told reporters in Bengaluru.
Responding to reports of Savadi joining Congress, Bommai said it is an irrelevant question.
Replying to another query, CM said: “It is true that Yeddyurappa, Anantha Kumar, CC Patil and Savadi had visited me when I was sitting alone in my house. I never went to any party. I had no ambitions.”