Despite much speculated unhappiness over selection of candidate to Hangal assembly constituency, the former Chief Minister and Lingayat strongman B.S. Yediyurappa is scheduled to enter the bypoll fray to campaign for the BJP candidates from October 20.
The veteran BJP leader, who so far has not hit the election trail, had to be convinced by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who met the former before making the announcement, party sources said.
As per the schedule released by the former Chief Minister's office, he will be taking part in the election campaign on behalf of Ramesh Bhusanur in Sindgi on October 20 and October 21, while he will be campaigning for BJP's candidate in Hangal Shivaraj Sajjanar on October 22 and October 23.
The by polls are being held to fill up the vacancy in Hangal in Haveri district and Sindgi in Vijayapura following the death of C.M. Udasi and M.C. Manuguli respectively.
Though the Hangal and Sindgi assembly constituencies are together going for by polls on October 30, it has been the Hangal seat that political circles are keenly watching. With the ticket slipping away from the politically strong Udasi family, BJP sources said that it has become tricky for senior party leaders as both Mr. Bommai and Mr. Yediyurappa had favoured a member of Udasi family to get the ticket. The Haveri Member of Parliament Shivakumar Udasi had sought ticket for either himself or his wife.
While Mr. Bommai is keen to ensure the victory of the BJP candidate in his home district and also his first polls after he took over as Chief Minister, it remains to be seen how the internal dynamics pan out before the elections, sources said.
