Speculations rife on Yediyurappa's son contesting against Siddaramaiah in Varuna

HYDERABAD: Speculations are rife that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s son B.Y. Vijayendra is likely to contest Varuna Assembly seat in Mysuru against Congress nominee and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the ensuing Assembly elections.

The speculations of Vijayendra contesting from Varuna is not new and his name did the rounds in 2018 for Varuna seat. Then, Vijayendra did not contest the election.

Over the contest of Vijayendra, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Devanahalli near Bengaluru on Friday stated that party workers wish that Vijayendra take on Siddaramaiah in Varuna but a decision on his candidature would be decided by B.S. Yediyurappa, also a member of BJP parliamentary committee, after studying pros and cons.

Siddaramaiah is a veteran leader and has been elected twice from newly created Varuna Assembly seat during the delimitation of Assembly seats in 2008. Siddaramaiah won in 2008 and 2013 from Varuna. Earlier, he was elected to the Assembly from Chamundeshwari Assembly seat as an independent, Janata Dal, Janata Dal Secular and also a Congress nominee.

If given ticket to contest in the ensuing polls, Vijayendra would be making his electoral debut but has been involved in election campaigns for the party. Sources said that Vijayendra is in the forefront of availing BJP ticket from Shikaripura Assembly seat which has been represented by his father B.S. Yediyurappa.

On his son’s contest, Yediyurappa had stated that a ‘suitable’ candidate would fight against Siddaramaiah and the name of Vijayendra is in the reckoning for Varuna seat. He exuded confidence of BJP putting a strong fight against the Congress nominee Siddaramaiah in Varuna seat in the ensuing election.

On Friday, Yediyurappa and Vijayendra were in Mysuru and it is said that though Yediyurappa came on a personal visit but it is said that he was in Mysuru to assess the situation before a decision is made on the candidate to contest Varuna seat.

To a query on the rivals in the fray, Siddaramaiah stated that he never took rival candidates into consideration in fighting elections. In Varuna, Siddaramaiah's son Dr Yathindra is the MLA and he makes way for his father to contest from Varuna in the ensuing Assembly election.