Lingayats will back BJP 101%, asserts Yediyurappa

Asserting that the Lingayat community is backing the BJP 101 per cent, former chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said that the Congress has failed in its attempt to ‘politically-divide’ the dominant community.

Yediyurappa’s statement assumed importance in the wake of one Veerashaiva-Lingayat forum issuing an open letter on Sunday in Hubballi supporting the Congress in the May 10 election.

Addressing a news conference, Yediyurappa said the Congress tried all tactics to divide the community politically this time. “I am 101 per cent sure that the Lingayat community is with us. More than 70 prominent pontiffs of the Lingayat community are in touch with us and assured their support to the party as they repose their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai,” he said.

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Claiming that the SC/ST population would also side completely with the BJP this time, Yediyurappa observed that the Bommai government has taken various measures, like enhancing reservation to these communities. This would help the party retain power in the state by increasing its seat tally to 130-135 this time.

“We are also taking up a legal fight to protect the reservation for Lingayats and Vokkaligas,” he said.

Playing down the Congress roadshows, Yediyurappa said Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are no match to Modi’s popularity. “The Congress could not win more than 5 seats in Uttar Pradesh even after Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi campaigned there extensively. So, let’s not worry about their campaign here,” he said.

In response to a question, Yediyurappa claimed that Congress leader Siddaramaiah will lose the election from Varuna constituency miserably.

The BJP has fielded senior leader V Somanna, a Lingayat, against Siddaramaiah.