Bengaluru: With Chief Minister Siddaramaiah pulling off his demand for being fielded from second constituency - Badami battle for Karnataka may now reportedly be fought from North Karnataka after BJP President Amit Shah told party CM candidate B.S Yeddyurappa to also contest from Badami.
According to sources, Shah asked a reluctant Yeddyurappa that he should contest against Siddaramaiah from Badami. But Yeddyurappa reportedly declined the offer on grounds of health and logistics and said that he would not be able to do justice to Shikaripura if he also contests from Badami.
Shah had reportedly asked Yeddyurappa that since he had demanded for a ticket for his son B.Y. Vijayendra from Varuna constituency in Mysuru district against Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra and a ticket from Yeshwanthpur in Bengaluru urban district for Lok Sabha MP Shobha Karandlaje then why couldn’t he take the challenge against Siddaramaiah in Badami since his community - the Lingayats constitute 40 per cent of the population in North Karnataka? Mr. Yedyurappa is the Lingayat face of the BJP.
The community constitutes 17 per cent of the total population in Karnataka and the Congress bid to split the Lingayats and the Veerahaiva community on the eve of elections was a political move to split the Lingayat vote.
