We blundered and lost Hangal, admits Bommai

Shyam Sundar Vattam/NT

The reluctance of the BJP to give the Hangal bypoll ticket to a member of late MLA C.M. Udasi’s  family, the failure of ministers to work as a team and the decision of some Lingayat sects not to back the BJP, led to the shock defeat of its  candidate Shivaraj Sajjanar in the recent bypoll. This was the assessment made by CM Basavaraj Bommai at the BJP Core Committee meeting which was chaired by party in-charge Arun Singh.

In what could come as a boost for sitting Council members who are retiring on January 5, 2022, the meeting decided to allow them to seek  re-election in the polls to 25 seats on December 10. “We have recommended the names of existing members and it is upto the high command to add or delete names. The state BJP had sent only one name-Revathi Shivakumar Udasi- for the Hangal by-poll but the high command decided otherwise and announced Shivaraj Sajjanar as the candidate who lost. So, anything may happen at their end,” added sources.

Sources said leaders in Delhi know about a few ministers who were lax during the Hangal campaign and they would face the music soon.