Karnataka assembly polls: Yeddyurappa holds road show before filing nomination papers
Setting up a show of strength in his own bastion, BJP's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa today filed his nomination from Shikaripura for next month's Karnataka assembly elections, holding a road show and claiming that he would win the seat by of margin of at least 30,000 votes.
As BJP supporters took out a huge procession, Mr Yeddyurappa waved to the crowd from an open vehicle accompanied by union minister Ananth Kumar and Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh.
"I have come to file my nomination and I am going to get a minimum lead of 30,000-40,000," he said.
Mr Yeddyurappa has won the Shikaripura seat in Shivamogga district seven of the eight times since he first contested there 35 years ago. The only time he lost the constituency to the Congress was in 1999.
Yeddyurappa is a Lingayat, a dominant community that makes up an estimated 17% of the state's population. The BJP hopes this will help counter any support the Congress may have won with its recommendation of a
separate minority status for Lingayats who have traditionally voted for the BJP.
BS Yeddyurappa has won the Shikaripura assembly seat seven times
The tussle between the BJP and the Congress for the Lingayat vote has seen both the party chiefs visiting
Lingayat mutts around the state.
Yesterday, on Basava Jayanthi, the birth anniversary of 12th century spiritual leader Basaveshwara who is revered by the Lingayats,
a host of leaders including BJP chief Amit Shah and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah garlanded his statue in Bengaluru.
Prime Minister Narendra, who is in London on an official visit, garlanded a statue of Basaveshwara there. That sends a good message to Karnataka, said Mr Yeddyurappa
By projecting 75-year-old Yeddyurappa as the chief ministerial face, the BJP to trying hard to reclaim the state it ruled from 2008 to 2013. Those five years saw at least three BJP chief ministers, with Yeddyurappa himself having to step down after allegations of corruption.
That has been used extensively by the Congress in its campaigns to target the BJP. In a slip of the tongue, BJP President Amit Shah had also referred to Yeddyurappa's government as the most corrupt ever in Karnataka at a rally held earlier, something the ruling Congress played up.
The BJP has an unofficial policy of not giving election tickets to those above the age of 75. Yeddyurappa turned 75 earlier this year. Senior BJP leaders, when questioned on this aspect said he was not yet 75 when the decision to project him as chief minister was made.