Rs 120cr offered by Nagaraj to withdraw candidature, alleges Sharath

Hosakote: Independent candidate for Assembly bypoll from Hoskote, Sharath Bachegowda on Monday, November 25 said that BJP nominee MTB Nagaraj had offered him Rs 120 crore to withdraw his candidature.

Addressing a rally at Bailnarasapur he said, “MTB Nagaraj had offered him Rs 120 crore to withdraw his candidature. I want to tell him that I am not for sale and will not back out even if he gives me his entire wealth.”

He further alleged that Nagaraj has fixed rates to buy the elected representatives of local bodies and the politicians. “Rs 2 lakh for gram panchayat members, Rs 5 lakh for taluk panchayat members and Rs 50 lakh to Rs 70 lakh for ZP president,” he added.

It may be recalled that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on November 19 expelled rebel candidate Sharath Bache Gowda.

On November 25 Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa had indicated action against Sharath Bachegowda’s father and BJP MP from Chikkaballapura BN Bachegowda, who has been keeping away from the campaign for the December 5 bypolls for 15 assembly constituencies.

“It has already been decided (on expelling Sharath), there is no question of him remaining in the party,” he said.

Yediyurappa had said disqualified Congress MLA MTB Nagaraj, who has joined BJP, had been given the ticket for Hoskote only after taking Sharath and his father into confidence.

Sharath Bachegowda, son of BJP MP BN Bache Gowda had filed his nomination as an independent candidate after the party denied him a ticket and fielded Nagaraj. JD(S) has decided to support Sharath, who lost to Nagaraj in 2018 assembly elections, and said it would not field its candidate in Hoskote.