BSY says they are 'future MLAs and Ministers'

Bengaluru: In what is seen as an indication that most of the disqualified legislators who joined BJP on Thursday will be party's candidates for December 5 bypolls, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa called them as "future MLAs and Ministers", as he assured of keeping up the promise made to them.

The assurance came from the Chief Minister as 16 disqualified Congress-JD(S) legislators were welcomed into the BJP fold, a day after the Supreme Court paved the way for them to contest the Assembly bypolls in the state.

"It is because of the sacrifice of these 17 Congress- JD(S) legislators and they quitting as MLAs, some even as Ministers, I have been able to take oath as the Chief Minister," Yediyurappa said.

Welcoming disqualified MLAs and their supporters, he said, "as the Chief Minister along with the party President I would like to assure you that, we will keep up the promise made to you word to word and won't betray you."

BJP, which aims to win a majority of the 15 constituencies where bypolls will be held is likely to field most of them as the party candidates.

Senior BJP leaders said the state BJP is likely to send its final list of candidates to the central leadership for approval by Thursday evening.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday had upheld the disqualification of 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs in Karnataka by the then Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar but paved the way for them to contest the by-polls.