Mysuru: BY Vijayendra’s fans interrupt Somanna’s speech

MYSURU: A campaign meeting organised by the BJP’s Mysuru city and district unit ahead of the Legislative Council election for the South Graduates’ constituency saw high drama as followers of party state vice-president BY Vijayendra interrupted Housing Minister Somanna’s speech here on Tuesday. The meeting, attended by Lingayat and Veerashaiva leaders, saw Vijayendra and Somanna sharing the dais, though rumours have been doing the rounds that all is not well between them.

When Somanna started his speech praising former CM BS Yediyurappa and CM Basavaraj Bommai, Vijayendra’s fans started shouting slogans, disrupting his speech. They even shouted that Vijayendra would be the future CM. Somanna tried to pacify the crowd, saying that though Vijayendra might have missed a chance in getting the ticket for the MLC polls, he will definitely be given a good position. At that moment, several people in the crowd accused Somanna of plotting against Vijayendra.

An enraged Somanna urged the crowd to not make Vijayendra a scapegoat. “It is time to be united in our fight to win. No one should be seen as great or demeaned, everyone has their own contribution,” he said. With an unrelenting crowd, Vijayendra intervened and appealed to the public to act wisely.