BBMP mayoral poll: Who messed it up for BJP? Ashok or Raghu?

Bengaluru: A blame game is on in the state BJP for ‘ill-treating’ independent corporators who voluntarily came to the party office last week to extend support to the BJP-led administration in BBMP.

Sources in the party said that it was not only  former deputy CM R. Ashok who allegedly  treated the Independent corporators in an proper manner. BJP MLA of C.V. Raman Nagar S. Raghu, Bengaluru Central MP P.C. Mohan and Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavali are also responsible for not behaving in a respectful manner with the Independent corporators, they said.

A senior leader who is  working to form a BJP-led administration in BBMP told this newspaper that it was Ashok  who invited independent corporators to the meeting. But C.V. Raman Nagar MLA S. Raghu said that without his knowledge, the party should not invite independent corporator of Konena Agarhara ward, Chandrappa Reddy who had worked against Raghu in the ward which comes under C.V. Raman Nagar.

Aravind Limbavali opposed the entry of Independent corporator of Domlur ward, Lakshminarayana into the party. Both MLAs  locked horns with the independent corporators and opposed their entry into the party. Due to opposition from party MLAs, Ashok dropped further negotiations with these Independent corporators, said sources.

Sources also said Ashok failed to make the first move to get Independent corporators on the BJP side. They had came to the BJP office last week to meet party president Prahlad Joshi. But Mr Joshi refused to talk with the independents and told them to talk with Mr Ashok, revealed a party worker.