Right ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karntaka denied the poll pass to the six-time MP Anantkumar Hegde owing to his controversial remarks over the need to rewrite the Constitution. Earlier this month, he stirred another controversy when he claimed that BJP's target to win 400 Lok Sabha seats is aimed at changing the Constitution.
In the last 28 years, Hegde, the BJP MP from Karnataka, bagged wins in the Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha seat six times with four back-to-back victories.
What did Hegde say this time?
Launching an attack on Congress for allegedly changing the Constitution to "oppress Hindus", Hegde mentioned that there was a need to "rewrite" the Constitution.
"If the Constitution has to be amended -- the Congress fundamentally distorted the Constitution by forcefully filling unnecessary things in it, especially by bringing in laws that were aimed at suppressing the Hindu society -- if all of this has to be changed, it is not possible with this (current) majority," the BJP MP said.
How did the BJP react?
Sending out clear message to the leaders who embarrass the party with impromptu remarks, the BJP scrapped Hegde's candidacy for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and replaced him with a six-time MLA Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri. As per reports, he has also served as a Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly and a state minister.
Distancing itself from the political row, the BJP maintained that Mr Hegde's remarks "are his personal views".
Revealing a clear pattern for the selection of Lok Sabha polls candidates this time, the BJP has ruled out all the leaders known for hate speeches and controversial remarks for candidacy.
Before Mr Hegde, woman leader Pragya Singh Thakur and Delhi MPs Ramesh Bidhuri and Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma were also denied the poll pass despite being sitting MPs.
