No precedence of giving tickets to all sitting MLAs, says CM Bommai

Vijayapura (Karnataka) [India], March 9 (ANI): Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly polls, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said there is no example of giving tickets to all the sitting MLAs since every election will be different.
The tickets will be given only after the survey, performance, and other guidelines said CM Bommai.
Asked about former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's statement that some of the sitting party legislators are unlikely to get the tickets to contest in the coming Assembly polls, he told reporters in Chikkagalagali that since Yediyurappa is a member of the Parliamentary Board, he may have that information. However, the issue of giving tickets to candidates above 70 years of age or not is not before them.
"Every constituency is discussed in the Parliamentary Board and it is very difficult to say all the sitting MLAs' will get the tickets," he said.
Reacting to the Lokayukta raid on the house of BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, the CM said the Lokayukta is independent to probe the matter. Everyone must respect the court's verdict. He said the anti-corruption institution has taken up an investigation of the case and there was no question of concealing anything.
Attacking Congress, Bommai said, "The Congress leaders are making baseless allegations and by doing it the corruption and sin they have done in the past will not be washed away. The government will hand over 59 corruption cases that took place during the Congress government regime to Lokayukta since those cases had been closed in Anti-Corruption Bureau."
Once the investigation is over, CM Bommai said the true colours of Congress will come to the fore.
"It is true that instructions had been given to stop the procession of Madal Virupakshappa in Chennagiri two days ago," he said.
Asked abpout Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar's allegations against him, Bommai said that the Congress leader had a close bond with corruption and naturally such statements were expected from him.
On Congress leaders terming Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary CT Ravi as a Hindu terrorist, CM Bommai said, "For Congress leaders, the patriots look like the terrorists. But for then, the Congress leaders look like anti-nationals and terrorists." (ANI)