MYSURU: In an effort to send out an unequivocal message to Lingayats in the run-up to polls to the Legislative Assembly on May 12, BJP president Amit Shah announced that if voted to power, his party would not only elect state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa as chief minister but ensure that he completes his five-year term as well.
Dismissing speculation that Mr Yeddyurappa would not make it to the top post, he told the media during an elaborate interaction here on Saturday: “He will complete his full five year term as CM if elected”.
On the state's recommendation for an independent religious and minority status for Lingayats, Mr Shah said it was merely an election strategy of the Congress to divide the community vote as the BJP had announced Lingayat strongman, Yeddyurappa as its CM candidate. “The Lingayat-Veerashaiva issue has been alive for the past 70 years. If they were so serious about it they could have recommended it immediately after assuming power in 2013. Why are they doing it now? And why did the UPA government under Manmohan Singh reject the same proposal?” he demanded.
Asked if the Centre would consider the proposal sent to it on the issue, Mr Shah said the state government had still not sent it "in the administrative format." "If we decide anything now, it will have an impact on the elections either way. The BJP will not make use of such emotional issues for elections. Once they are held, the Union government will make its decision clear to the people of the state,” he added.
Mr Shah, who had to contend with Dalit anger in Mysuru on Friday, accused CM Siddaramaiah of instigating them to disrupt his meeting.
When asked how the party intended to handle the Dalit factor now, he said Union Minister, Ananth Kumar Hegde regretted making the statement that they found offensive. “The way my meeting was disrupted indicates Siddaramaiah was behind it,” he charged. He also claimed that Congress-led governments at the Centre had always neglected the Father of the Constitution, Dr B.R. Ambedkar and did not present him even the Bharat Ratna. “It is we who have created memorials at five locations for him,” he said.
