As the Karnataka Assembly Elections draw closer, there have been several resignations and retirements from political parties in the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its first list of candidates for the upcoming elections, and with that, the ground is set for a fierce battle in the state on May 10.
Several prominent leaders who were denied candidatureship have taken harsh steps to secure their interests, while others have retired from active politics altogether. Let’s take a look at some of the notable names who have announced their retirements in the run-up to the elections.
K.S. Eshwarappa
K.S Eshwarappa. Credits – Dtnext
The controversial BJP leader who has also served as a Deputy Chief Minister of the state, announced his retirement from electoral politics. The 74-year-old leader wrote a brief note thanking the party for the opportunities provided to him. Earlier, Eshwarappa was in the news for his comments on Islam, which sparked a state-wide controversy and led to criticism from different sections of the population.
Halady Srinivas Shetty
Haladi Srinivas Shetty. Credits – Deccan Herald
A five-time MLA from Kundapur in Udupi district, announced his retirement from electoral politics. Shetty has won five consecutive elections from Kundapur since 1999. He won the 1999, 2004, and 2008 elections as a BJP candidate, but later quit the party after differences with Sangh Parivar leaders. He contested the 2013 election as an independent candidate and later returned to the BJP, winning the 2018 election.
SM Krishna
SM Krishna. Credits – Times Of India
Former Chief Minister of Karnataka, SM Krishna, retired from active politics at the age of 90. In his announcement, he mentioned that he took the decision of his free will and urged people not to bring it to the “High Command” attention. Krishna served as the state’s Chief Minister from 1999 to 2004, and later served as the 19th Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to 2008. He also served as the Minister of External Affairs from 2009 to October 2012. Krishna joined the BJP after leaving Congress in March 2017.
B.S. Yediyurappa
B.S. Yediyurappa. Credits – Hindustan Times
Karnataka’s Lingayat heavyweight, announced his retirement from electoral politics earlier this year. In his last speech in the state assembly, he said that he was retiring from electoral politics. Yediyurappa served as the 19th CM of Karnataka from July 2019 to July 2021. He was preceded by Basavaraj Bommai and currently serves as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. He served as CM four times and thrice as a Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly.
S R Srinivas
SR Srinivas. Credits – Times Now
Srinivias submitted his resignation as a legislator to the Karnataka Assembly Speaker. Srinivas was accused of cross-voting in the June 2022 Rajya Sabha polls, which, according to the JD(S), contributed to the defeat of its candidate D Kupendra Reddy.
Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi resigned from the BJP after being denied a ticket to contest the upcoming Assembly elections. The veteran leader’s move came hours after the BJP high command left out his name from the first candidates’ list for the Karnataka Assembly elections.
These retirements and resignations have shaken up the political landscape in Karnataka, setting the stage for an interesting battle in the upcoming Assembly Elections. With the BJP releasing its first list of candidates and the other political parties yet to follow suit, it remains to be seen how the political scenario unfolds in the coming days.
