Karnataka: Lehar Singh is BJP's 2nd candidate for the Legislative Council polls

Bengaluru: The BJP’s decision to field Lehar Singh, a diehard supporter of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa as its second candidate for polls to the Legislative Council polls, has come as a jolt to leaders of JD (S) at a time when they were expecting support from the saffron party for their second candidate S.M. Venkatapathi.

Sources in BJP asked “without consulting our leaders, how can JD (S) field its second candidate and expect support from us? There was no official discussion between Mr Yeddyurappa and state JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy.”

Mr. Kumaraswamy, however, said he has already spoken with BJP leader R. Ashoka, but so far the party has not authorized Mr. Ashoka to take a decision in this regard. Therefore, Mr Lehar Singh was told to submit his nomination papers.

“Our party asked me to file nomination papers as an independent candidate, but I requested that I be allowed to submit nomination papers as the official candidate. So I got the “B” form on Monday,” Mr. Singh added. To win the election, a candidate must secure minimum 29 first preference votes.