Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa toured the three constituencies of Athani, Kagwad and Gokak on Saturday to campaign for the BJP candidates.
He also held meetings with party workers in Athani to review the pace of campaign. He announced in Athani that he would tour all the constituencies facing bypolls a second time in a few days.
He urged voters to support the BJP candidates. “I became CM owing to the resignation of the disqualified MLAs. We owe them the favour of re-electing them,” he said.
In Athani, Rural Development Minister K.S. Eshwarappa criticised the Congress and the JD(S) leaders for predicting the fall of the Yediyurappa government.
“H.D. Kumaraswamy has been saying he will ensure the defeat of disqualified MLAs. He failed to ensure the victory of his father and his son. He should get a Nobel prize for making such statements,” he said.
“Mr. Siddaramaiah had predicted that Mr. Kumaraswamy would never became the CM. But he did, and that too with the help of the Congress. Mr. Siddaramaiah later said Mr. Yediyurappa would not become the CM. That turned out to be false too,” he said.
He said that the bypolls would herald the end of Congress in the State. Congress leaders have already accepted defeat. No senior leader has been seen in the campaigns.
Once the bypolls are over, Mr. Siddarmaiah will not even be in the Opposition leader’s position, Mr Eshwarappa said.
Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi said that he was grateful to his party for making him the Deputy CM even though he had lost the polls. “This does not happen in the Congress,” he said.
He said that Mr. Yediyurappa had sought his opinion about Congress MLA Mahesh Kumathalli joining the BJP.
“I did not object. I said I would welcome it if leaders from other parties were to join the BJP and bring the party to power in the State. Due to the sacrifice of such MLAs, we came to power,” he said.
Meanwhile, at a poll rally in Ghataprabha, Ramesh Jarkiholi claimed that he would have “emptied the Congress of MLAs” if he wished.
“I can still do that. I am still in regular contact with over 35 MLAs from the Congress. If I wish, I can make them all resign and join the BJP,” he said.
