The conference called by senior BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa was to assess the political climate in the state, according to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who denied that the party had made any decisions regarding the Lingayat Chief Minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit poll-bound Karnataka for campaigning in the state assembly elections after the nomination process is completed, he said. Addressing the media, CM Bommai said that no decision has been made regarding the Lingayat chief minister as a result of the meeting of Lingayat leaders that was held under the leadership of former CM BS Yediyurappa to take stock of the current political situation in the state.
“Leaders also gave suggestions on how to respond to the mis campaign being done by the Congress leaders and also regarding the Lingayat CM matter,” he said.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was also present in the meeting; he said that he would convey the Karnataka leader’s feelings to the Delhi leaders.
“No decision has been taken regarding the announcement of the Lingayat CM,” he said.
Bommai’s remarks came after the party lost two prominent Lingayat leaders in Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi over the denial of tickets for the Assembly polls. Both of them later joined Congress.
Responding to Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar’s statement inviting Minister R Ashok to visit a military hotel in Kanakapura, the Chief Minister said that the BJP campaign would start from there. The local people would be present there, but Shivakumar would not meet them.
“The Congress party tried to divide the Lingayat religion. The people would not pardon that party for doing it just for vote bank politics”, he added further.
The BJP has given the most tickets to leaders belonging to the Lingayat community. The party is holding a spate of meetings, as part of which a meeting was held in Bengaluru under Yediyurappa’s leadership.
Today is the last date for filing nominations, and the last day to withdraw nominations is 24 April.