Vijayendra files nomination in Shikaripur

BS Yediyurappa also made an emotional appeal to the people and said he would strive for the welfare of the farmers, youths and focus on development

Shivamogga

Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa during a roadshow in support of his son and BJP leader BY Vijayendra, in Shikaripur on Wednesday. (PTI)

BY Vijayendra, son of BJP strongman and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, on Wednesday filed his nomination from the Shikaripura constituency in Shivamogga district for the May 10 Karnataka assembly elections.

“I am happy that I will be contesting my first election from this constituency... Shikaripura constituency is important for BJP. For the past 40 years, the constituency has been blessing my father Yediyurappa ji,” he said after filing his papers.

Over 25,000 people stepped out in support of Vijayendra in one of the biggest rallies seen by Shikaripura. As per leaders close to him, Yediyurappa’s rallies would have about 8,000-10,000 people in attendance.

This show of support is important for Vijayendra who now has the responsibility to fill his father’s shoes.

The former CM’s son said that he is confident of BJP’s victory in the upcoming elections. “I am happy that BJP has given me a chance to contest my first election from the same constituency from where Yediyurappa had contested. We are confident that the people of Karnataka will vote for BJP,” he said.

Vijayendra also hit out at the Congress for creating a divide within the Lingayat community and assured that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP enjoy full support of the community.

This week Jagadish Shettar became the second senior leader from the Lingayat community to resign from the BJP and join Congress. Earlier, former Karnataka deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi had joined the Congress.

“People in Karnataka know who ditched the Lingayat community. Everyone knows that it was the Congress party that fought against the Lingayat community. So, I’m confident that not only the Lingayat community, but other communities will also support BJP and they will support Narendra Modi ji,” Vijayendra said.

Meanwhile, Yediyurappa also made an emotional appeal to the people and said he would strive for the welfare of the farmers, youths and focus on development.

The rally was attended by prominent leaders from the Banjara community including BJP MP Umesh Jadhav, MLA P Rajiv, ST leader Raju Gowda, OBC leader MTB Nagaraj, Union Minister A Narayaswamy, who is from the SC Left community.

The Banjara leaders appealed to the audience to vote for the BJP, asking them to be wary of the ‘rumours spread by Congress’.

The spoke in Lambani language and talked about the measures taken by Yediyurappa for the benefit of the community.

Jadhav said, he became the first Banjara MP because of Yediyurappa’s support.

Agitating members of the Banjara community had last month targeted Yediyurappa’s house in Shikaripura, and hurled stones during a protest over internal reservation.

The BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai tweaked the SC/ST and OBC reservation quota to accommodate the long-standing demand for enhanced quota from various communities, following a cabinet meeting on March 24.

In the new reservation breakup, out of the 17% reservation for SCs, 6% was awarded to the ‘SC Left’ group, the ‘SC Right’ category got 5.5% of the quota, ‘touchable’ communities got 4.5% and the other SC communities got the remaining 1%.

The Banjara community, which according to analysts has been a significant beneficiary of the SC reservation, is now up in arms against the limited quota of 4.5%.