Mysore/Mysuru: A day after he was nominated as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) by the State Government, senior BJP leader and former Minister A.H.Vishwanath paid a courtesy visit to the residence of Chamarajanagar MP V. Sreenivasa Prasad at Jayalakshmipuram here yesterday.

Later speaking to presspersons, Vishwanath said that he was glad that he was made an MLC as promised by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

 Maintaining that the BJP has been giving political representation to all communities, including micro-communities, which were hitherto neglected, Vishwanath asserted that  he has been nominated under Literary Quota. 

Noting that he is an author who writes books on politics and not a litterateur in the true sense, he said the Legislative Council is a house for senior politicians and he takes pride for being a member of this house for the first time.

Replying to a query on his getting a Cabinet berth now that he has been made an MLC, Vishwanath said that he merely said that he would not like to discuss the issue now at a time when the country and the State is battling Covid-19.

Responding to a question on Opposition Leader Siddharamaiah’s demand for a detailed account of COVID-19 purchases, he said that Siddharamaiah, who has the experience of working as a Chief Minister and as well as Finance Minister, should not behave irresponsibly by asking questions standing on streets. 

Siddharamaiah can raise the issue either in the Legislature or the Public Accounts Committee and seek answers from the Government, he added.

MP Sreenivasa Prasad said that Vishwanath, who was an elected representative all along his political career spanning decades, has now been nominated to the Upper House for the first time. Maintaining that he and Vishwanath are like-minded persons, the MP hoped that Vishwanath will work for causes he has been fighting all along.

Former MUDA Chairman C. Basavegowda and other local BJP leaders were present.

Later, Vishwanath visited the BJP office at Chamarajapuram, where he was greeted by a host of party leaders. City BJP President T.S. Srivatsa, State BJP General Secretary M.Rajendra, former Minister C.H. Vijayshankar and other leaders were present.

Peek into his political journey… 

A.H. Vishwanath began his political journey as a Youth Congress leader under the then Chief Minister D.Devaraj Urs in the 1970s and was first elected as an MLA from K.R.Nagar in 1978. 

After serving the Congress for over four decades during which he enjoyed power as a Minister and an MP, Vishwanath quit the party and joined JD(S) on July.4, 2017. 

He was elected as an MLA from Hunsur Constituency in the 2018 Assembly polls and became the JD(S) State President on Aug.5, 2018. 

Then in a sudden political development, Vishwanath quit the post on June 4, 2019 and also resigned from his Assembly seat on July 6, 2019. 

His resignation, along with some other MLAs of the JD(S) and Congress, triggered the collapse of the coalition Government, with H.D. Kumaraswamy resigning as the Chief Minister on July 23, 2019. 

Vishwanath joined the BJP on Nov.14, 2019 and contested the by-election from Hunsur on a BJP ticket in the polls held on Dec. 5, 2019, which he lost. 

Now, over seven months after his defeat, the veteran leader has been nominated as an MLC by the BJP Government.