‘My father had not put condition to make me Minister before resigning’

Bengaluru: BJP vice president B Y Vijayendra on Thursday said his father B S Yediyurappa had not put any condition to make him a Minister, before resigning as Chief Minister, and he too had no aspirations to be part of the new cabinet as he was not a legislator.

”To even say that Yediyurappa had put a condition when he resigned that his son Vijayendra should be made a Minister…all this is something to put a black mark on his leadership.Yediyurappa has struggled for 40-45 years, organised the party and has brought it to this level.This is the party of Karyakartas,” Vijayendra told reporters here.

Yediyurappa had not put such conditions, Vijayendra said, adding that he too is not hurt at not being inducted into the cabinet.

”Party has given me an opportunity to organise it, I will continue to do it,” he said.

There were reports that Yediyurappa had mounted pressure on Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the party leadership to induct his younger son Vijayendra into his new cabinet.

Responding to a question on Vijayendra being made Minister, Bommai, who expanded his cabinet on Wednesday, had said the BJP national president spoke to Yediyurappa.

Besides, national general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh also spoke to Vijayendra personally on the matter, Bommai said.

Stating that for him even aspiring to become a Minister is a mistake as he is neither a MLA or MLC, Vijayendra said, ”Just because I’m Yediyurappa’s son if I aspire to become a Minister it is absolutely wrong.I’m happily functioning as the BJP vice president and in the coming days to I will honestly work for strengthening the organisation.” Responding to a question on whether he will contest the Hangal bypolls, he said, the party will decide as to who should contest from there.

Hangal assembly constituency fell vacant following the death of senior BJP leader C M Udasi in June, and there is speculation that Vijayendra may contest from the seat, for which bypoll is yet to be announced.

Noting that the party leadership was keen on further strengthening the party in the old Mysuru region, Vijayendra said he will largely involve himself in that activity, while also travelling across the state to strengthen the organisation.

Asked about him contesting from Varuna constituency in the next assembly polls, he said the party will decide on it.

”…certainly, it is the voters of Varuna constituency who recognised Vijayendra first, but whether I should contest polls or not, if I have to contest, from where, all that will be decided by the party.” Ahead of the 2018 assembly polls, just before Vijayendra was to file his nomination, Yediyurappa, who was then state BJP president,announced that his son would not be contesting from Varuna assembly constituency in Mysuru against Congress’ Siddaramaiah’s son Yatindra.

Vijayendra was projected as the candidate despite the party not announcing any candidate, and he had even campaigned in the constituency and had rented a house there.