TUMAKURU: “Narendra Modi Saab is from Gujarat, but where did he contest from? Varanasi. If the high command asks me to contest from Tumakuru, I will,” asserted former minister V Somanna here on Saturday.
His statement was a rebuttal to former minister JC Madhu Swamy’s claim that Somanna is an outsider to the Tumakuru LS seat. Somanna, a Veerashaiva Lingayat leader and a former MLA from Binnypet and Govindaraj Nagara in Bengaluru lost both Chamarajanagar and Varuna seats in last year’s Assembly polls. He has been waiting for a break to overcome the losing streak and lobbied for the Rajya Sabha seat, but could not cut as the high command nominated Narayana Sa Bhandage.
But he has continued his efforts to make a comeback. He started campaigning in Tumakuru by calling on the religious heads of the district.
He met Siddaganga Mutt’s Sri Siddalinga Swamiji, whose cousin Dr S Paramesh, director of Siddaganga Medical College and super speciality hospital run by the Mutt, too has emerged as a strong contender for the seat, sources said. It was not clear as to what transpired between the two.
Dr Paramesh claimed that he has the backing of RSS and the Swamiji and expressed confidence of becoming the candidate.
But Somanna claimed that he has the backing of sitting MP GS Basavaraju.
“Basavaraju and Somanna have been business partners for over three decades and support each other even in politics,” a BJP leader said.
Madhu Swamy too has made a strong pitch for the ticket with the backing of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and also BJP state president B Y Vijayendra.