Bengaluru: The BJP high command has decided to field former Chief Minister and party state unit president B S Yeddyurappa from any of the constituencies of North Karnataka region to sweep the Lingayat votes.
According to the highly placed sources in BJP, on Saturday night party national president Amit Shah had a telephonic conversation with BSY and informed about the decision. As per the proposal, B S Raghavendra, son of B S Yeddyurappa will contest from Shikaripura constituency, the present constituency represented by BSY.
According to the sources, the party which is banking on Lingayat votes to return to power in the state wants to consolidate party base in the North Karnataka region by fielding BSY from any of the constituencies. The BJP wants to project that only BJP will make a Lingayat man the CM of the state again.
But sources also confirmed that B S Yeddyurappa is not keen on contesting from outside Shikaripura, fearing that the ongoing tussle over separate religion tag to Lingayat community may affect his winning chances.
