Mysore/Mysuru: Even as MLC Sandesh Nagaraj, who was elected on a JD(S) ticket but had stayed away from party affairs, attempted to make last minute efforts to get the party ticket again for the Dec. 10 MLC polls, former Chief Minister and top JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the doors of the party for Sandesh Nagaraj has been shut.

Speaking to press persons, Kumaraswamy, who was in city on Monday to attend a JD(S) meeting to select the party candidate for the Legislative Council polls from the dual member Mysuru-Chamarajanagar seat, said that Sandesh Nagaraj was not in contact with him for the past three years. Maintaining that Nagaraj has been staying away from party affairs for long, Kumaraswamy asserted that he was not aware with which leader of the party that the MLC was in touch with.

Referring to reports on BJP seeking the help of JD(S), wherever it would not field candidates, Kumaraswamy said this shows his party’s relevance in State politics. Lashing out at the BJP for launching Janaswaraj campaigns across the State at a time when people are reeling under floods and other natural disasters, the former Chief Minister wanted the BJP to come up with its performance in the last two-and-a-half years. Asserting that the JD(S) had done a good job when in power, he urged the BJP leaders to come up with a white paper on their achievements, plans and programmes.

Stating that the JD(S) would contest only 6 to 8 out of the 25 seats in the forthcoming MLC polls from Local Authorities Constituencies, he took a dig at BJP and Congress leaders for trading of corruption charges against each other and also for targeting JD(S) for nepotism and family politics.

Former Mayor Ravikumar, former ZP Member Madegowda and others were present.

Sandesh Nagaraj thanks voters, supporters

Meanwhile, sitting JD(S)  MLC Sandesh Nagaraj, who was denied the party ticket from both BJP and the party from which he was elected twice — JD(S) — said that he was regretful to announce that he would not be contesting the Legislative Council Polls from the dual  member Mysuru-Chamarajanagar Local Authorities Constituency scheduled to take place on Dec. 10.

In a thankful note to his voters, supporters and political leaders, Sandesh Nagaraj, whose term as MLC concludes on Jan. 5, 2022, said that he was satisfied with his job as an MLC for two terms extending up to twelve years.

Maintaining that he intended to contest on a BJP ticket this time, Nagaraj said that he could not get the party ticket due to his age factor. However, he is thankful to all the BJP leaders, particularly the State BJP Chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, Mysuru City BJP President T.S. Srivatsa, Mysuru Region In-Charge M.V. Ravishankar, former MLC Siddaraju, KEA Chairman Hemanth Kumar Gowda and Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd. (MPVL) Chairman N.V. Phaneesh, who supported him in his efforts to get the party ticket, he said .

Extending heartfelt thanks to JD(S) Supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Devegowda and former Minister H.D. Revanna for having shown interest in fielding him again on the party ticket for the MLC polls, Sandesh Nagaraj said that though he is not contesting the forthcoming MLC polls, he will continue with his public service. He again thanked all his supporters for having stood with him all these years.