BENGALURU: Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa has hinted that his son and BJP state vice-president BY Vijayendra might contest the assembly elections from the Varuna constituency in Mysuru district against former CM and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah.
Yediyurappa told reporters here on Thursday that a discussion in this regard is on. “Siddaramaiah does not know that the ground he is standing on is collapsing. I feel it will not be easy for Siddaramaiah to win from the Varuna constituency this time. We will field a strong candidate against him. We will give him a tough fight,” he said.
Asked if the BJP will field Vijayendra from Shikaripura, he said leaders of the party will take a decision on it. “We will see what best we can do,” he added. A senior BJP leader told The New Indian Express that a section of party leaders and workers want Vijayendra to contest from Varuna. “There has been no formal discussion in this regard in the state. But leaders in Delhi might be keen on it,” the leader said.
Some BJP leaders termed it a speculation as BJP high command may not allow Yediyurappa’s son to contest from two constituencies at a time. Vijayendra is said to be keen on contesting from Yediyurappa’s Shikaripura constituency.
He has already finished a tour of the constituency. From April 2, he will be touring again and meeting voters and the party workers. Yediyurappa is also in favour of Vijayendra contesting from Shikaripura.
‘BJP hasn’t done injustice to me’
Asked about his recent announcement that he will retire from electoral politics as he had been “sidelined” in the party, Yediyurappa said some leaders are trying to mislead people stating that “injustice to Yediyurappa is an injustice to the Lingayat community. This is not true. I appeal to the community members that BJP has not done any injustice to me or the Lingayats. The party made me MLA, MP, and chief minister and also gave me important positions. I am a member of the party’s parliamentary board too,” he said.
Meanwhile, KPCC president DK Shivakumar dared the BJP to field a formidable candidate against Siddaramaiah. “Let the BJP field Yediyurappa against Siddaramaiah,” he said when his attention was drawn to the speculation that BJP is planning to field BSY’s son Vijayendra against Siddaramaiah in Varuna.