Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology C.N. Ashwath Narayan has said that the BJP would consider fielding former Minister R. Shankar in the forthcoming Karnataka Legislative Council polls.
Mr. Narayan, who was in the town on Friday, told mediapersons that former Ministers A.H. Vishwanath and M.T.B. Nagaraj prominent figures in the BJP, also want to contest the elections. The trio had migrated to the BJP from other parties, by quitting their Assembly membership to bring down the previous Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress government led by H.D. Kumaraswamy.
C.P. Yogeshwar, another former Minister, is also one of the aspirants for the MLC post. Except Mr. Shankar, the party had not assured these persons of issuing the ticket, Mr. Narayan said.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, the party high command would take a decision on the issue. But, the party would honour suitably other aspirants too, he said.
‘No support to Deve Gowda’
Reacting to a query, he said the party has already fielded two leaders in the Rajya Sabha elections and would not extend any support to former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.
The Deputy Chief Minister visited the Mandya Unitary University on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway (previously called as the Government (Autonomous) College for Boys) and held a meeting with the officials concerned.
He assured the university officials of initiating measures for the comprehensive development of the institution, particularly related to infrastructure.
Mandya Deputy Commissioner M.V. Venkatesh and others were present.
