BJP expels ex-MLA for contesting as rebel in Basavakalyan

Bengaluru, Apr 17 PTI Karnataka BJP on Saturday expelled former MLA Mallikarjun Khuba for contesting as an independent against the partys candidate Sharanu Salagar in the Basavakalyan Assembly segment where a bypoll is underway.By contesting as a rebel candidate against the BJPs official candidate Sharanu Salagar, you Khuba have violated the party discipline.

Bengaluru, Apr 17 (PTI): Karnataka BJP on Saturday expelled former MLA Mallikarjun Khuba for contesting as an independent against the partys candidate Sharanu Salagar in the Basavakalyan Assembly segment where a bypoll is underway.

''By contesting as a rebel candidate against the BJP's official candidate Sharanu Salagar, you (Khuba) have violated the party discipline. Despite attempts by the party till the last moment you did not withdraw from the fray,'' an expulsion order by BJP's state disciplinary committee president Lingaraj Patil said.

''So you have been expelled from the primary membership of the BJP for a period of six years for anti-party activities,'' it said.

Kuba had not withdrawn his nomination as an independent candidate despite attempts by Housing Minister V Somanna, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and district in-charge Minister Prabhu Chauhan, among others, to pacify him.

Kuba was a two-time MLA from the constituency in 2004 and 2013. From JD(S), he had subsequently joined the BJP and lost to B Narayan Rao of the Congress in 2018 Assembly polls.

By-polls to Basavakalyan Assembly seat is necessitated following the death of Narayan Rao due to COVID-19 in September last.