B.Y. Vijayendra, probable BJP candidate from Varuna constituency, and son of State BJP president B.S. Yedduyrappa, said he plans to settle down in Varuna hobli irrespective of the results in the Assembly elections.
Speaking to The Hindu at Hadinaru village in Varuna constituency on Tuesday, he said the failure of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to provide basic amenities to the people of Varuna has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him.
He had received complaints from the people that the Chief Minister had never visited the constituency in the past five years. Mr. Vijayendra has been assuring the people during his tour that he would make himself available to them.
Mr. Viyayendra admitted that he is banking on the charisma of his father to win. He pointed out that his father had provided free power for irrigation pump sets soon after he became the CM and he was the first CM to introduce a farmers’ budget.
Launching a diatribe against Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. Vijayendra coined the CM’s recent visits to temples and mutts an aberration as he had not visited temples or mutts in the past four and half years. Those closely watching Mr. Siddaramaiah would not be hoodwinked, he said.
Referring to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s government recommending to the Centre to grant ‘religious minority’ status to Lingayats, Mr. Vijayendra said this action would divide society, caste and community. Mr. Siddaramaiah had refused to go to London to unveil the statue of Basavanna and had also not sanctioned grants stipulated for the statue, he said.
Mr. Vjjayendra exuded confidence that he would be chosen to contest from Varuna, saying that he had already spoken to many top leaders in the party and got their consent before starting his campaign. However, he said he had no issues if he was not given ticket as his intention was to work for the party and bring it to power.
