Bharatiya Janata Party candidate L Chandrashekhar on Wednesday said he would not contest the Ramanagara Assembly bye-election in Karnataka on November 3 and announced his return to the Congress, PTI reported. Chandrashekhar was set to go up against Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s wife Anita Kumaraswamy.

Chandrashekhar claimed he withdrew from the election as he was worried about his future in the BJP. “Saddened about the attitude of leaders and system that exists within the BJP, I have decided not to have any association with the party, I am returning to my mother party Congress,” he said.

He accused the BJP of abandoning him after giving him the ticket. “After welcoming me to the BJP by giving the party flag, BS Yeddyurappa [Karnataka BJP chief] or any other leaders did not join me for campaigning,” he said. “They neglected Ramanagara due to an internal squabble between the leaders within the party.”

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, whose Janata Dal (Secular) is in power in partnership with the Congress, said the BJP should blame itself and not the ruling alliance for Chandrashekhar dropping out of the race, News18 reported. “They forced him [Chandrashekhar[ to join the BJP, then did not fulfil the promises made to him,” the chief minister claimed. “They did not consult their party workers before giving him the ticket.”

Yeddyurappa, meanwhile, accused senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar and his brother DK Suresh of “giving money” to make Chandrashekhar return to the Congress. However, the Congress has accused the BJP in recent weeks of trying to weaken the coalition government in the state by “poaching” Congress legislators.

Ramanagara is one of the two constituencies Kumaraswamy contested the Assembly elections in May from. The chief minister vacated this seat while retaining Channapatna.

On Saturday, bye-polls will also be held in three Lok Sabha constituencies – Shivamogga, Ballari and Mandya and in Jamkhandi Assembly seat. Votes will be counted on November 6.