BJP turns to Yediyurappa in K'taka; Somanna stakes claim for party chief's post

Bengaluru, June 23 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP, which is in the mode of introspection and waiting for a momentum against the ruling Congress, which is growing stronger each passing day, has decided to bring former CM and Lingayat strongman B.S. Yediyurappa to the forefront ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.

Sources said that BJP is planning to launch an all-out agitation against the Congress government. The party is planning to launch agitation at Vidhana Soudha for 10 days for the government's 'failure' to implement the guarantees announced before the elections.

All the BJP legislators will join the protest to send out a message to the masses.

Yediyurappa has already started a state tour leading one of the seven teams in the run-up to next year's Lok Sabha elections.

In yet another interesting development, former minister and senior Lingayat leader V. Somanna, who suffered defeat against Siddaramaiah from Varuna in the Assembly polls, on Friday staked claim for the post of state BJP President.

As per party sources, Yediyurappa and Somanna are at loggerheads. The sources also claimed that Yediyurappa ensured the defeat of Somanna against Siddaramaiah.

Speaking to reporters, Somanna said that he has conveyed to the party high command that he should be given a chance to become BJP's state unit chief.

"Let the party give me an opportunity for 100 days, I will show what the organisation is all about. I visited Delhi twice and met the top leaders and discussed a few things. I am asking for the post in the backdrop of 45 years of my political career. I have completed all the tasks given by the party by taking risks and putting in hard work," he said.

"The recent defeat in the Assembly elections proved to be a setback. Few might also raise questions over my capability to become the state unit chief. But I am a senior leader in the party and I can take everyone along. I have conveyed my wish to become the state unit President to Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda and National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh," he said.

Somanna also said that Yediyurappa and other party leaders should be okay with his wish.

"I did whatever he (Yediyurappa) asked me to do during the elections. But after the defeat, he (Yediyurappa) did not call me even once," Somanna said.