To choose the right candidates for the forthcoming Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to deploy a professional agency to carry out a survey to identify candidates in each constituency.
Fielding reporters’ questions during an interaction arranged in Mysuru after the conclusion of the party’s Parivarthana Yatra, BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa said there was more than one claimant for the party ticket in most constituencies. “A survey by a professional agency will help the party identify the most popular candidate,” he said.
He added that the party has no plans to deny a ticket to any of the sitting MLAs. Barring one or two, they will all be nominated to contest again, he said.
Even though he demurred when the recent entry of two JD (S) MLAs from Raichur into the BJP fold was likened to the infamous “Operation Lotus,” Mr. Yeddyurappa claimed that a few more Congress and JD (S) MLAs were knocking on the door to join the party. “Two JD (S) MLAs have already joined us. Seven to eight more MLAs from the Congress as well as the JD (S) are in touch with me,” he said. He, however, refused to name them.
Poll impact
When asked whether the elections in Gujarat would have an impact in the Karanataka polls, he said: “Why do you want to refer to the Gujarat elections? Why not Uttar Pradesh?” The BJP had a landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, winning 312 of 403 Assembly seats.
Mr. Yeddyurappa also sought to distance the BJP from the controversial remark made by party MLA Sunil Kumar that the upcoming elections would be a contest between the “gods of Hindus and Muslims”.“There is no question of this being the BJP’s stand,” the former Chief Minister said.
On Lingayat issue
Meanwhile, exuding confidence that the demand for separate religion tag for Lingayats would not have any impact on the BJP’s electoral prospects, Mr. Yeddyurappa said their stand on the issue was no different from that of the Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha.
The Mahasabha has been demanding religion status for the community as ‘Veerashaiva/Lingayat’, not as Lingayat alone.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said the BJP would abide by the decision taken by Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who is a veteran Congressman, and Siddaganga Mutt seer Shivakumara Swami.