Bengaluru: Did the BJP leave disqualified MLA and former minister Roshan Baig in the lurch after promising to induct him into the party and allot the bypoll ticket for Shivajinagar to his son, Ruman Baig?
Sources in the BJP disclosed that Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had earlier assured Baig that he would be inducted into the party. Even Baig had informed his supporters to assemble at the BJP state office Thursday morning.
But then came the shock late evening on Wednesday-Baig was informed that the BJP central leadership had not given the nod for his entry into the party considering his alleged involvement in the multi-crore IMA investor scam.
The buzz now is that the veteran politician, who had for long established himself in Shivajinagar as its MLA, may choose to contest as an independent.
While Baig is obviously shocked with the decision of the BJP, sources say a different story.
According to them, the BJP top brass was not at all keen on inducting him into the party because of stiff opposition from the RSS. It is also learnt that Baig's name had cropped up during the investigation into the murder of a RSS worker, Rudresh in Bengaluru.
Baig rebelled against the Congress leadership two days before the LS results in May and had come down heavily on AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal, Congress leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC President Dinesh Gundurao. He later joined the group of rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs to oust HDK’s coalition government.
