In an attempt to avoid adverse impact on its political fortunes in Karnataka, the BJP is trying to distance itself from ally Janata Dal (Secular) whose MP Prajwal Revanna has been accused of sexual harassment. Prajwal is also contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Hassan as a BJP-JD(S) contestant.
A senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader on Monday asserted that the BJP is not responsible for selecting Prajwal for the Hassan seat as ally JD(S) was allotted the seat.
Several BJP leaders have attempted to insulate the party from the controversy saying that the blame for Hassan MP’s crime cannot be laid at the it’s doors.
BJP national general secretary Radha Mohan Das Agrawal said the BJP is not responsible for the selection of the candidate “or for certifying their character if the contestant is from an alliance partner”.
“The alliance is for election purposes, but the decision of candidate selection is not done by the BJP. Once the seat sharing was discussed, the authority to decide the candidate rests with the party that is contesting from the seat,” he added.
Agrawal is overseeing the 2024 Lok Sabha election in Karnataka.
Slamming the Congress for targeting the BJP over Prajwal, Agrawal said the grand old party is trying to politicise the issue.
Congress has claimed that the BJP was aware of the allegations against Revanna, and could not persuade the ally to change the contestant from Hassan.
“The Congress party and its leader Rahul Gandhi are trying to politicise the issue, but they need to clarify do they decide the candidates for their alliance partners? They should admit if the candidates for the INDI parties (INDIA bloc) were selected by them,” the BJP leader added.
Another BJP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the saffron party cannot be blamed for the misdemeanor and crimes of candidates that are not from the party.
“This issue should have been dealt with by the JD(S), as it was their seat and therefore, their call to take,” the leader said adding that the JD(S) too has not defended Prajwal.
Earlier today, former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy informed that the JD(S) has decided to suspend Prajwal from the party.
Kumaraswamy also sought to distance ally BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the case.
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Published: 29 Apr 2024, 10:06 PM IST