BENGALURU: Former chief minister and senior BJP legislator BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday clarified that party national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh had nothing to do with his son and party state vice-president BY Vijayendra not getting the high command’s nod to fight the June 3 MLC elections.
“Santhosh’s name has been unnecessarily dragged into the issue by a section of the media. There is no need to read between the lines as to why Vijayendra was not given the party ticket. He is the party state vice-president. The high command is likely to provide him with bigger opportunities in the near future,” the 78-year-old Lingayat strongman said.
Ignoring the recommendation of the state core committee to field Vijayendra, the party central leadership on Tuesday announced the names of four other candidates.Yediyurappa asserted that BJP will never let down those who are talented and are loyal, and hoped that there will be some modifications in the party soon.
On whether the party will field Vijayendra in the 2023 Assembly elections, he said there is still time to discuss such issues.Meanwhile, Yediyurappa, who was to take part in a party event in Tumakuru Rural on Wednesday, gave it a miss which reportedly upset BJP workers, including former MLA B Suresh Gowda. The turn of events may have had an impact on Yediyurappa’s itinerary as he decided not to take part in the event on Tuesday itself, sources said.
Not hurt, says Vijayendra
In Mysuru, Vijayendra said he is not upset over the party denying him the ticket. “I was not aware that my name was recommended by the BJP core committee,” he maintained. Vijayendra said the party has hundreds of workers like him. “The party will decide whether I should contest or not or from which constituency. But as of now, I am more focussed on party activities,” he said.