Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Apr 29: Ashwin Pereira, who is contesting as independent candidate in the Karnataka elections after JD(S) denied him the ticket, has been expelled from the party for six years.
Ashwin Pereira, who served as JD(S) Moodbidri president, had expected the party ticket from Moodbidri, but senior leader Amarnath Shetty was chosen. However, Amarnath Shetty backed out, after which the ticket was given to Jeevan Shetty.
Informing the decision, JD(S) district committee president Mohammed Kunhi said, "Jeevan Shetty is the official candidate of JD(S) from Moodbidri. Without any respect for the party leadership's decision, Ashwin Pereira filed the nomination as rebel candidate. He violated he party principles and disobeyed the party. Hence, we have expelled him for six years.
"We have also expelled another rebel candidate, Ibrahim Kailaru from Bantwal for six years," he added.
Senior leader Amarnath Shetty said, "Earlier Ashwin Pereira had informed me that he was not interested in contesting the Karnataka assembly elections. Because of this, we decided to give him ticket to legislative council elections and he started campaigning six months ago. But now all of a sudden he filed nomination as a rebel candidate for the assembly elections. We have no idea why he did this.
"Jeevan Shetty has been working for the party for the past 9 years. He is an able leader to represent the people, so we gave him the ticket," he said.
"In Dakshina Kannada JD(S) is contesting in 5 constituencies. In Sullia we are supporting the BSP. In the coming days our senior leaders H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy will participate in the election campaign in the district," he added.
Leaders Vasanth Poojary, Aboobakkar Ammunje and Lathif Valachil were present.