BJP keen on contesting Chamundeswari Assembly bypoll

Mysore, Oct 16 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka today asked its coalition partner Janata Dal (Secular), to leave the Chamundeswari Assembly constituency, scheduled to go for byelection soon, to the party.

Addressing the constituency party workers convention here, State BJP President D V Sadananda Gowda said the party had decided to contest the byelection, necessitated by former Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah resigning the seat, as the party had been securing a second place in the constituency.

Hitting out at Mr Siddaramaiah, he said the people of the constituency had elected him to serve them for five years and his resignation had only hurt the electorate. Mr Siddaramaiah had done so as he was ''power hungry,'' he alleged.

Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, addressing the workers, said the BJP contesting the bypoll would not affect the coalition Government in any way and it could not be seen as a referendum on the Government.

He sought the support of the JD(S) in defeating Mr Siddaramiah and the Congress.

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