Bangalore, March 27: Almost a month ahead of Karnataka Assembly Elections 2013, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelled one of its prominent leader and former excise minister MP Renukacharya for six years for “anti-party activities”.
BJP announced the decision on Tuesday (March 26) night. Renukacharya is known to be close aide of former BJP strongman and former chief minister of Karnataka BS Yeddyurappa. BJP’s action against Renukacharya came after he started attacking top BJP leaders of Karnataka in public forums. Renukacharya on Tuesday attacked former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda. In his home constituency Honnali, Renukacharya, in an interaction with television channels on Tuesday afternoon, had branded Gowda the most corrupt.
The newly appointed BJP state president Prahlad Joshi sent a strong message by not tolerating indiscipline in the party anymore. While taking action against the “rebel” leader, Joshi said, Renukacharya has been talking “lightly” about some state party leaders. “Your utterances against state leaders are a clear violation of party discipline and constitutes anti-party activity,” Joshi said in a letter to Renukacharya. Renukacharya also called other senior BJP leaders like party national general secretary Ananth Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa and State party president Prahlad Joshi as corrupt.
The Election Commission on March 20 announced that single phase assembly elections in Karnataka will be held on May 5. Counting of the votes will be held on May 8. There are 4.18 crore voters in Karnataka and voting will take place at 50446 polling stations.
