<p class="bodytext">BJP lawmakers S T Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar on Thursday maintained that they are “still” in the saffron party while accusing their rivals within the party of spreading misinformation about them joining Congress. </p>.<p class="bodytext">On the sidelines of the first meeting of the Legislature Committee on Petitions, Hebbar said rumours about him and Somashekar could be the handiwork of their opponents inside the BJP. </p>.Ex-BJP minister S T Somashekar meets Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah amid buzz over 'Operation Hasta'.<p class="bodytext">Hebbar said: “We know what to speak and when to speak. At this moment, we are still in the BJP.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Somashekar asserted that he is neither interested in contesting the Lok Sabha election nor is his son aspiring to become an MLA. “It is wrongly attributed to me and my son. I have not asked for any ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls. Just because a few of my workers left and joined another party, it does not mean I, too, would leave. It is wrong to arrive at such a conclusion,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Somashekar downplayed his recent remarks heaping praise on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“From when did heaping praise on leaders become a crime? How can any party restrict its members from praising anyone? Mere praise does not qualify for anti-party activity,” he argued. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, senior BJP leader R Ashoka asserted that nobody is leaving the saffron party at this juncture.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Of the 15 who joined our party in 2019, five came under my leadership. Hebbar and Somashekar are two leaders constantly in touch with me. I know for sure that they are with us,” he said.</p>
<p class="bodytext">BJP lawmakers S T Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar on Thursday maintained that they are “still” in the saffron party while accusing their rivals within the party of spreading misinformation about them joining Congress. </p>.<p class="bodytext">On the sidelines of the first meeting of the Legislature Committee on Petitions, Hebbar said rumours about him and Somashekar could be the handiwork of their opponents inside the BJP. </p>.Ex-BJP minister S T Somashekar meets Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah amid buzz over 'Operation Hasta'.<p class="bodytext">Hebbar said: “We know what to speak and when to speak. At this moment, we are still in the BJP.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Somashekar asserted that he is neither interested in contesting the Lok Sabha election nor is his son aspiring to become an MLA. “It is wrongly attributed to me and my son. I have not asked for any ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls. Just because a few of my workers left and joined another party, it does not mean I, too, would leave. It is wrong to arrive at such a conclusion,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Somashekar downplayed his recent remarks heaping praise on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“From when did heaping praise on leaders become a crime? How can any party restrict its members from praising anyone? Mere praise does not qualify for anti-party activity,” he argued. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, senior BJP leader R Ashoka asserted that nobody is leaving the saffron party at this juncture.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Of the 15 who joined our party in 2019, five came under my leadership. Hebbar and Somashekar are two leaders constantly in touch with me. I know for sure that they are with us,” he said.</p>