TUMAKURU: Amid the hectic campaigning for the Sira Assembly bypoll, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s son and BJP Karnataka vice-president B Y Vijayendra took time off to call on Siddalinga Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt here on Saturday. “It was an unscheduled visit.
They held a tête-à-tête for some time”, informed a source. In a tweet, Vijayendra too termed it was a routine visit on account of Dasara festival to seek the blessings of the seer. Interestingly, he has also been calling on the religious heads of various communities in Sira Assembly constituency. However, sources denied that the visits had anything to do with a possible change of guard.
“Vijayendra’s visit to the mutt is in no way linked to some party leaders speculating about a change of guard. The BJP will let the CM complete his tenure”, the source claimed. But his detractors see the CM working overtime and a dashing off to flood-affected areas in north Karnataka and also in Bengaluru on Saturday, as an attempt to prove himself as ‘ fit and fine’.
Interestingly, the CM took part in a campaign meeting for the South East Graduate’s Council constituency held here on Saturday evening and returned to Bengaluru. He, however, did not visit the Siddaganga Mutt. Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda campaigned for the Council candidate Chidananda M Gowda.
Meanwhile, Congress MLC B K Hariprasad claimed that the BJP high command will remove Yediyurappa from the CM’s post regardless of the outcome of bypolls. “He may be accommodated in the ‘margadarshak mandal’ of the party”, he said. About 30 BJP MLAs are preparing to quit the party, he contended.