BJP will win both seats in bypolls by big margin: B S Yediyurappa

Bengaluru: Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa exuded confidence on Sunday that the BJP would emerge victorious in the by-elections to the Davangere South and Bagalkot by-elections by a big margin.

Speaking to reporters, Yediyurappa, a BJP parliamentary board member, said: “Today and tomorrow, I am going to campaign for (Davangere candidate) Sreenivasa (T Dasakariappa). On April 5 and 6, I will go to campaign for Veeranna Charanthimath in Bagalkot. I am 100% confident that our candidates will emerge victorious in both constituencies by a big margin. Corruption is rampant in Karnataka. People’s interest has been forgotten and a kind of Tughlaq durbar is being run by Siddaramaiah.”

Responding to a query that Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar were camping in the bypoll-bound constituencies, the former chief minister said: “If the entire government and the CM have camped there for 4-5 days, it’s clear that they fear defeat in the elections”.

When told that Bijapur city MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal (expelled from BJP in 2025) had expressed the desire to campaign for the BJP candidate in Bagalkot, Yediyurappa said: “Whoever wants to come is welcome”.

In Davangere South, Samarth Mallikarjun of the Congress takes on Sreenivasa T Dasakariappa of the BJP, while Umesh Meti of the Congress takes on Veerabhadraiah (Veeranna) Charanthimath of the BJP in Bagalkot.