MLC by-election: BJP’s Tulasi Muniraju Gowda files nomination

Bengaluru: Tulasi Muniraju Gowda, who contested on a BJP ticket against N Munirathna in 2018, has been picked by the BJP for the MLC by-election and filed his nomination on Thursday, March 4.

The MLC by-election is scheduled to be held on March 15.

Muniraju, who wanted to contest the Rajarajeshwari Assembly by-poll last year, had run a full-fledged campaign till the saffron party decided to field Munirathna, who had switched from Congress and was part of the rebel group that helped B S Yediyurappa to form the government.

Party senior leaders had convinced Gowda to step aside to make way for Munirathna with a promise that he would be given a plum position later.

At present, the BJP has 30 members in the 75-strong Legislative Council. Since this election is based on MLAs’ vote and BJP has higher numbers in the Assembly, Gowda’s victory is assured.