BJP hopes to cash in on BS Yediyurappa's charisma in poll-bound Kittur Karnataka

HUBBALLI: By getting senior leader BS Yediyurappa to lead the Jana Swaraj Yatra, in the run-up to the Legislative Council poll in Kittur Karnataka, the BJP seems to have invested its resource where it can yield more dividends. Seven seats are up for grabs in this region— three are with the saffron party, and the rest with Congress.

Though the region is dominated by the Lingayat community, Yediyurappa has a huge influence among other communities too, and the party wants to encash his popularity optimally. His team, which includes Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, ministers Govind Karjol and Sriramulu, state vice-presidents Tejaswini Ananthkumar and M B Nandeesh, is a right mix of all communities that have a sizable say in the region. 

Of the four constituencies — Belagavi, Vijayapura, Dharwad and Karwar — the first three are double-member segments and a single member will be elected from Karwar local bodies. While the Congress holds both seats in Vijayapura, in Belagavi, the BJP represents both seats in the Upper House. In Dharwad, both national parties have one seat each, while the Uttara Kannada seat is held by the grand old party. Since the saffron party is in a dominating position in these districts now, the fight here could be fierce.

Yediyurappa’s team is one of four teams formed for the Jana Swaraj Yatra, BJP state general secretary Mahesh Tenginkai said. The team would tour two districts on each day, starting from Uttara Kannada on November 19, covering Dharwad and Gadag next, Bagalkot and Vijayapura on the third day, and Chikkodi and Belagavi on the last day.

Besides voter connect programmes, public rallies would also be held during the Yatra. The party had held Swaraj Yatra before the gram panchayat election, and it was received well by voters. A majority of members elected across the state were supported by the party.  

Jagadish Shettar leaves for New Delhi
Senior leader Jagadish Shettar leaving to New Delhi all of a sudden, that too a day after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai returned from the national capital, has led to much speculation. It is not clear whether Shettar himself went to Delhi or got a call from the party leadership. Sources in the BJP said Shettar had left to Bengaluru on Wednesday to take part in a private function and thereafter, might have gone to Delhi. It is also being speculated that he could have gone to bat for some candidates, especially brother Pradeep Shettar, a sitting member and aspirant of one of the dual-seats of Dharwad.