CHITRADURGA/DAVANAGERE: Former minister M P Renukacharya said on Wednesday that Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal will never become chief minister of Karnataka and he is day-dreaming of becoming CM.
Speaking to TNIE, he said Yatnal is involved in divisive politics and it is damaging the BJP's image.
"This is helping the Congress party in a big way. In order to bring back those who have deserted the party to the BJP fold and ensure a massive victory for the party in 2028 state assembly polls, we are making ground work and the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community convention is a step in that direction," he said.
He also alleged that Yatnal is having the support of the Congress in dividing the community on caste and sub-caste basis.
"Yatnal pictures himself as Veerashaiva-Lingayat leader at one point, in another time, he pretends to be a Hindu leader and also becomes a Panchamasali leader later, thereby he is dividing the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community on caste basis," he alleged
"Siddaramaiah's 75th birthday celebration gave strength and new vigour to the Congress party and ensured that the party came to power with full strength. Now, in a similar way we want to strengthen the hands of B S Yediyurappa who had built the BJP from scratch in Karnataka," he said.
Veerashaiva-Lingayat convention in D'gere in May
"Veerashaiva-Lingayats have been fragmented and the Congress has been successful in taking some Veerashaiva-Lingayats into their fold ever since Yediyurappa stepped down as CM. Now, we have to reunite them. As part of this massive exercise before the state assembly elections 2028, we are organising this mega convention. Former minister S A Ravindranath is the convener," he said.
Responding to a question on defying the orders of the BJP national leadership, Renukacharya said, "Our convention will help the BJP in a big way and will not destroy the chances of its win."
"On the other hand, Yatnal is involved in fragmenting community votes through his divisive politics. He himself has said that he has the support of some top BJP leaders, if so, let him make it public," he advised.
The convention will pass a resolution on the unscientific caste-based socio-economic survey report prepared by the Backward Classes Commission and will pressure the central government to provide OBC status to Veerashaiva-Lingayats. These are the main agenda of the Davanagere convention which will be held in May 2025, he said.
Further, he said that his team has visited 17 districts of Karnataka and the rest of the areas will be completed at the earliest and the dates for the Veerashaiva-Lingayat convention will be finalised shortly at a meeting in Bengaluru.
