Karnataka bypolls: 'BJP will win all 15 constituencies,' says BS Yediyurappa as rebel Congress-JD(S) leaders join saffron party

Bengaluru: Soon after 15 out of 17 disqualified MLAs in Karnataka joined the BJP in Bengaluru, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said that the ruling party will win on all 15 Assembly constituencies, where by-elections are slated to be held on 5 December. “They have sacrificed many things, after the Supreme Court’s verdict now they have joined BJP. I welcome all leaders and their supporters who joined. We will stand on our promises, we will never ditch you,” Yediyurappa said. [caption id=“attachment_7235671” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa. ANI[/caption] “It’s our responsibility as workers to make them win. We will organise a huge programme and we will facilitate them (disqualified MLAs). We will win 100 percent for sure in all 15 constituencies. Small issues in between workers must be ignored. All our 26 MPs will work as in-charges in by-polls,” he added. The chief minister went on to add that the national leadership is with them, so “we don’t need to be worried”. “Our aim is to make sure our MLAs win. Seventeen members who joined us they should win. Some were worried about the new party and working style, I have promised them that we will work for their winning. You are our future MLAs, ministers, so no need to be worried,” he said. Meanwhile, Saravana, husband of an Independent corporator Mamatha, also joined the BJP. He was earlier a Congress supporter. A day after Supreme Court’s Karnataka verdict, 15 out of 17 disqualified rebel MLAs, including those from Congress and JD(S) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday. Out of the 17 disqualified MLAs, MTB Nagaraj is already a member of the BJP, while Roshan Baig has been left out. The top court has allowed 17 disqualified rebel MLAs to contest in the upcoming bypolls which are slated to be held on 5 December. The Supreme Court had on Wednesday upheld the decision of the then Karnataka speaker KR Ramesh Kumar to disqualify the 17 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs under the anti-defection law but said that they can contest the upcoming by-elections in the state. The rebel legislators were disqualified by the then speaker KR Ramesh Kumar in July earlier this year under the anti-defection law after they tendered their resignation. They were also barred from contesting polls for the duration of the current Assembly, which is slated to end in 2023. The elections for 15 out of 17 seats are slated to be held on 5 December.