BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Sunday said that the BJP national leaders had decided to leave the Channapatana seat to its alliance partner JD(S).
The JD(S) is free to announce its candidate for the byelection from the constituency, the former chief minister said. Yediyurappa told reporters here, “Our party has already announced candidates for two of the three Assembly seats that are facing byelections in the state. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has made it clear that Channapatna seat belongs to JD(S) and that party is free to decide on the candidate.”
He said the two NDA partners would have to strive towards defeating the Congress in all the three constituencies. On rumours of a BJP leader contesting on JD(S) symbol in Channapatna, Yediyurappa said “no such thing” was discussed. Regarding BJP MLC C P Yogeshwar insisting that he was the NDA candidate for Channapatna, Yediyurappa said Yogeshwar was not the decision maker and the call on who should contest from where is taken by the party high command. “Once the high command decides, all in the party have to fall in line,” he said. Leader of the Opposition
R Ashoka told reporters separately that there would be no rebellion in BJP, irrespective of who gets to contest as the NDA nominee.
“I spoke with him (Yogeshwar) yesterday (Saturday) after discussing with Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy and BJP state president B Y Vijayendra. Yogeshwar has agreed to abide by the party’s decision,” he said.
The NDA candidate for Channapatna seat will be announced in a day or two after Kumaraswamy decides on it.