BJP said tickets were given on a merit basis and the chosen family members of party workers earned their tickets.
The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) said that the candidates who were being accused of nepotism were given tickets because they had built their own identity and people believed in them.
BJP spokesperson, Suresh said that the party didn’t mind if a candidate belonged to a party worker’s family as long as the candidate was deserving and worked in the best interests of the party.
The BJP is facing backlash after giving tickets to family members of its party workers for the upcoming assembly elections. According to Congress spokesperson, Gourav Vallabh, 34 out of 212 candidates announced by the BJP were on the list because of “nepotism.”
Former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa’s son B.Y. Vijayendra is contesting from the Shikaripur constituency and filed his nomination on 19th May. According to a Hindustan Times report, “Over 25,000 people stepped out in support of Vijayendra in one of the biggest rallies seen by Shikaripura.” BJP spokesperson said he had been garnering people’s support for the last few years and got the ticket because the party believed in him.
The BJP has often come down heavily on Congress time and again for its “Pariwarwaad” politics. BJP spokesperson said, “In Congress, the sons and daughters of a family dictated terms in the party which was not the case in BJP.”
Congress spokesperson Natraj Gowda said that the BJP had given the ticket to Aravind Limbavali’s wife, Manjula Arvind Limbavali in the Mahadevpura constituency which was indicative of nepotism in the party. “Late Umesh Katti’s son Nikhil Katti was also a given a ticket from Hukkeri constituency,” he added.
BJP spokesperson defending his party’s decision said that Umesh Katti passed away last year and his son had been given the ticket because people knew him and he had built his own name. Apart from him, Umesh Katti’s brother Ramesh Katti was also given a ticket from the Chikkodi-Sadalga Assembly constituency. Suresh said that Ramesh Katti was an established leader and the party had faith in him.
BJP often advertises its “one family one ticket” rule where only one member gets a ticket per family, shows an NDTV video.
Natraj Gowda further said that the BJP had dual standards. “On many occasions, they have criticised Rahul Gandhi and called him a Shehzada, Yuvraj and what not. But they were silent while making Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah the BCCI secretary who is not even remotely related to cricket,” he added.
Joining the bandwagon, Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also criticised the ruling party. JD(S) spokesperson Prathap said, “BJP doesn’t walk the talk. What they say and what they do are two completely different things.”
AAP which is contesting the elections for the first time said that their party was the one following one family one ticket rule. Prakash Nedungadi, an AAP candidate from Shivajinagar constituency who is contesting the elections for the first time said that the party was trying to keep power within its own.
Dr Surendra Kumar, a political science professor said that the BJP made and broke rules according to its own convenience like all other parties do. “Rajnath Singh’s son joined the party and many other party workers’ children have also been given a berth in the BJP. But the BJP will claim that it doesn’t indulge in dynasty politics as it has to target the Gandhi family.”
Dr Harish Kumar, a political science professor said that power in the hands of few families was against the principal of democracy. “Not just in BJP or India, it happens everywhere, even in the United States. But if a party accuses the other party of something that it itself practices, that amounts to hypocrisy,” he added.
