Yediyurappa rules out his son contesting from Varuna, says he will enter fray from Shikaripura

Bengaluru: Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Friday ruled out his son B Y Vijayendra being fielded from Varuna constituency to take on Congress leader Siddaramaiah and said he would fight the election from Shikaripura.

Addressing reporters, he said, “There is already pressure to field Vijayendra from Varuna, but I have said it long back though there is pressure from Varuna, he should contest from Shikaripura. So, there is no question of Vijayendra contesting from Varuna for whatsoever reason.” Yediyurappa added that Vijayendra will fight from “my constituency” (Shikaripura in Shivamogga district), so there is no question of asking him to contest from Varuna.

To a question on Vijayendra’s statement that the BJP has got its own strength and he would abide by the party’s decision, Yediyurappa said, “His statement is correct but I am saying that he will contest from Shikaripura. I will convey this to the party high command and Vijayendra. There is no question of him contesting from Varuna in Mysuru.” Yediyurappa is sitting MLA from Shikaripura, and has already announced his retirement from electoral politics.

Assembly elections will be held in Karnataka on May 10.

Yediyurappa had on Thursday raised expectations of a high-voltage fight between Vijayendra and Siddaramaiah by not ruling out the possibility of his son throwing his hat in the ring in Varuna.

Varuna in Mysuru district has become among the key seats to watch out for as Siddaramaiah, the Congress legislature party leader and former Chief Minister, is set to enter the fray in this segment, currently represented his son Yathindra.