Bengaluru: BJP national joint general secretary (org), B L Santosh, who has been accused of playing a role in denying a ticket to Tejaswini Ananthkumar, has finally broken his silence. He said that it is not possible to build a party if genes and DNA are considered while giving tickets.

Speaking to reporters in the Chamarajapet area of the city, he justified the party’s decision to not give a ticket to Tejaswini. “Ananth Kumar was one of the leaders who built the party in the state. He has been given credit for this. But his wife can’t claim the credit now,” he said.

“She has been made party vice president. Let her use this position to get a ticket,” Santhosh added.

“We need to give tickets to those who will serve the party for the next 30-40 years. Party membership has value in the BJP, not genes and DNA,” he concluded.