BS Yeddyurappa's challenge to Siddaramaiah: Contest from North Karnataka
It's certain that I will contest from N-K, but have not decided from which constituency: State BJP chief
Kalaburagi: While revealing that he had decided to contest the 2018 Assembly polls from a constituency in North Karnataka, state BJP chief, B.S.Yeddyurappa on Monday subtly challenged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to choose to contest from the region as well.
Speaking to reporters here, Mr Yeddyurappa explained he was moving from his home constituency of Shikaripur on the advice of his party high command, but did not reveal what his new constituency would be.
“There is pressure on me to contest from Jewargi in Kalaburagi district as well as from Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts. The final decision has not been taken as yet. But it’s certain that I will contest from North Karnataka this time. If Mr Siddaramaiah also wants to contest from North Karnataka, we will welcome it,” he added, clearly challenging the Chief Minister to prove his popularity in the region.
Accusing Mr Siddaramaiah of trying to divide the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community for his party’s political ends, he asserted that he would not succeed in his design.
“It’s certain that the BJP will come back to power in the next elections,” he added.
Also taking on Water Resources Minister, M B Patil on the issue of independent religious status for Lingayats, he charged, “He will even swear on his wife and children for the sake of politics!”
Once again accusing the government of being embroiled in corruption, he threatened to “expose” the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues within a week and demanded the resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister, K J George over the suicide of DySP, Ganapathy.
Mr Yeddyurappa, who regretted that the state government had failed to release funds for irrigation projects as promised, said the BJP would hold a rally at Koppal on September 21 to highlight its failures.