Karnataka Housing Minister Somanna rushes to Delhi, meets Amit Shah

BENGALURU:  Housing Minister V Somanna, who said on Tuesday that he will not quit Bharatiya Janata Party, rushed to New Delhi on Wednesday to meet top leaders of the party.  Somanna along with union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pralhad Joshi met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence.

Sources in the BJP said that during the meeting, Somanna sought ticket to contest from Chamarajanagar assembly constituency. He also sought party ticket to his son, Arun Somanna, to contest from his Govindrajnagar constituency or a prominent post in the BJP organisation. If everything goes according to Somanna’s plan, his son is expected to get a position in the party.

Before meeting Shah, Somanna told reporters that he visited Delhi for some “official work”. “I visited Delhi to resolve some issues related to the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana,” the Housing Minister said. Asked if he visited Delhi to complain against BJP leader B Y Vijayendra, Somanna said he had nothing against Vijayendra. 

Somanna also said that former chief minister and senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa has not spoken 
to him. “If he wants to talk, I will go meet him. I have nothing against Yediyurappa,” he added.
Meanwhile, Yediyurappa said that he is confident that Somanna will not quit BJP. It may be recalled that Arun Somanna and Vijayendra had issued statements that embarrassed the party.