Belagavi, April 12: Former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on Wednesday announced his decision to resign from primary membership of the BJP, a day after the ruling party denied him a ticket to contest in the May 10 Assembly elections.

Sitting MLA Mahesh Kumathalli was given ticket in Athani in Belagavi district. Savadi is a three-time MLA from Athani, but lost in the 2018 elections to Kumathalli (then in the Congress). Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Sitting MLAs Anil Benake and Mahadevappa Yadawad Dropped From BJP's First List of Candidates, Their Supporters Stage Protest (Watch Videos).

"I have certainly taken a decision. I have decided to resign from the primary membership of the party," Savadi, a BJP MLC, said in a press conference.

He added that he will take a "strong decision" on Thursday evening and will start working from Friday. Karnataka Assembly Election 2023: BJP Announces First List of 189 Candidates, Check Candidate Names and Their Constituencies.

There is speculation that he may join the Congress. Kumatalli was among the group of defectors who helped the BJP to bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition and form its government under the leadership of B S Yediyurappa in 2019.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)