Cong, BJP give tickets only to the rich: AAP joinee

By NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A former Congress leader alleged that election tickets are given by the Congress and BJP only to those with money-power and popularity.

C h a n d r a s h e k h a r S Hiremath, a social activist from Kalaburagi, spoke to the media after joining the Aam Aadmi Party in Bengaluru on Tuesday. “I have worked in various capacities for the Congress party right from my student days. I had been under the guidance of Janardhan Poojary, but the culture of such leaders no longer survives in the party. Currently, the culture in the major parties of the state is that of rewarding those who spend lakhs on events and publicity,” he said.

He denounced the Gujarat model as a ‘model for purchasing votes’ and said the Delhi model showed how the common people could be served. “Anyone can get a ticket from Congress or BJP by spending around Rs 5-6 crore. They are on sale,” he said, noting that AAP was different.

AAP leaders claimed that Hiremath’s profile was screened for a period of two months before being approved for joining. Hiremath said that he had put no conditions on AAP leadership before joining the party and is ready to take up any role assigned to him including that of contesting the upcoming assembly elections.

Hiremath had been active in several movements to ensure the rights of workers, especially in the Kalaburagi district. He had also been in the BJP for a brief period and said that he quit the party after being asked to withdraw an agitation against the exploitation of cementindustry workers. He revealed that he remains a bachelor and is completely dedicated to social causes.