'Silent' Sunil supporters seek ticket for rowdy-sheeter

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The much-awaited candidates' lists released by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in poll-bound Karnataka have already sparked discontent among many within the party.

While several senior party leaders have expressed disappointment for being denied the ticket, supporters of notorious rowdy sheeter 'Silent' Sunil laid siege to the BJP office in Malleswaram after the Chamrajpet constituency ticket was given to former IPS officer Bhaskar Rao.

According to sources, hundreds of people gathered in support of the history-sheeter and besieged the BJP office expressing their displeasure by shouting slogans like "No to Bhaskar Rao" on Wednesday. Bhaskar Rao recently defected to the BJP from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Several videos were circulated showing Sunil's supporters trying to break into the party headquarters while the police tried to stop them.

Sunil alias 'Silent Sunil' is a history sheeter who has been charged with murder and other crimes. It was stated by the police department that Sunil has a long list of criminal records including kidnapping, murder, extortion, theft and dacoity against him. The moniker 'Silent' was given to the miscreant by the city police as he would not speak during interrogation. The BJP identified Rao as its candidate for Chamrajpet, the seat sought after by ‘Silent’ Sunil.

In 2022, Rao, who asked the IPS for a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), joined the AAP in Karnataka. Ahead of the state Assembly elections, he left the AAP and joined BJP. Rao, when asked about Sunil’s supporters being unhappy with his nomination, said that he had left the cop life behind and he would not be able to carry police baggage into politics.

Last year, Sunil shared the stage with numerous top officials, including MP PC Mohan and MP Tejasvi Surya, during a blood donation programme in Bengaluru, which greatly embarrassed the ruling BJP. The police had been unsuccessful in their search for Sunil before the blood donation camp. He was spotted in the blood camp, where there were also police officers.