BENGALURU: Former minister and BJP leader V Somanna, who wanted to contest the Lok Sabha elections, seems to have backtracked after BJP high command leaders -- Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda, whom he met in the national capital on Saturday -- convinced him not to take the risk of contesting elections anymore.
Somanna, along with the incumbent MP GS Basavaraju, had lobbied for the Tumakuru seat, even as former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and his son and BJP state president BY Vijayendra were backing former minister JC Madhu Swamy. But Shah, citing the party’s internal survey that was not favourable to Somanna, advised him not to contest the polls, sources said.
“Given the animosity between Somanna, Yediyurappa and Vijayendra, it will be tough for him to win the polls,’’ said a BJP leader. Somanna, a Veerashaiva-Lingayat leader, lost both Varuna and Chamarajanagar Assembly seats in the May 10 polls. He had alleged that Yediyurappa and Vijayendra did not work in his favour. He was also sulking after Vijayendra was made state BJP chief and had removed himself from party activities. He sought the intervention of high command leaders, especially Shah, who had advised him to contest from both the seats.
“I am content with the response of high command leaders as they indicated setting things right. I will wait and watch. I never said I would contest the LS polls. But I have appealed for the Rajya Sabha membership and it is up to the high command to decide,” Somanna said.