Will welcome it if CM contests from north Karnataka, says Yeddyurappa

Confirming that he has decided to contest from one of the Assembly constituencies in north Karnataka in the upcoming Assembly elections, BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa on Monday said he would “welcome” it if Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were to do the same. At the same time in Chickballapur, Mr. Siddaramaiah spoke on how he has “offers” to contest from the area. “However, the party high command will take a final call on this,” he said. Speaking to the media, Mr. Yeddyurappa said he was shifting from his home constituency of Shikaripura on the advice of the BJP’s Central leadership. He, however, did not reveal which constituency he would contest from. “There is pressure on me to contest from Jewargi constituency in Kalaburagi district as well as from Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts. The final decision has not been taken yet. But it is certain that I will be contesting from north Karnataka. If Mr. Siddaramaiah also wants to contest from [there], we welcome it,” he said. Mr. Yeddyurappa’s decision is seen as an attempt to counter the Congress strategy to woo Lingayats by raising the issue of a separate religion tag to them. Charges of corruption Criticising Mr. Siddaramaiah and his Cabinet colleagues, the former Chief Minister said his party would “expose” corruption within a week. He demanded the resignation of Minister K.J. George over the controversy surrounding Deputy Superintendent of Police M.K. Ganapathy’s death. He accused the CM of “trying to divide the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community” for electoral benefit. “But he will not succeed in his attempt. It is certain that the BJP will come back to power in the next elections,” he said. He also attacked Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil, whom he accused of raking up the Lingayat issue in the first place. “He is ready to go to the extent of swearing on his wife and children for the sake of political benefit,” he said. Responding to allegations of corruption in the Congress, Mr. Siddaramaiah said Mr. Yeddyuarappa had no moral right to make allegations as he is facing 15 criminal cases. “Let him first answer these charges before making allegations against others,” he said.