BSY or supporters: Banakar’s dilemma

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader and party ticket aspirant for bypoll from Hirekerur Assembly constituency U B Banakar said he’s facing ‘damn if you do, damn if you don’t’ situation.

“Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa wants me to help disqualified MLA B C Patil while the BJP workers and his supporters want me to contest the bypoll from Hirekerur. Who should I heed, CM or people?” the former Hirekerur MLA told reporters on Wednesday.

“Yediyurappa had convened a meeting on Tuesday. He asked me whether I will support B C Patil if the latter is fielded as party candidate from Hirekerur. I cannot say no to Yediyurappa. But the BJP workers and my supporters in the constituency are adamant I should contest as BJP candidate. I don’t know what to say,” Banakar said.

“Patil and I have fought against each other in the last four elections. Last few elections saw a straight fight between Patil and I. When such is the rivalry, how can my supporters agree to concede the seat to Patil,” he questioned.

Party leaders, including district in-charge minister Basavaraj Bommai, should intervene and convince the BJP workers before the situation goes out of hand, Banakar said.

Meanwhile, Banakar’s supporters took out a protest, in the town on Wednesday, against the BJP leadership’s inclination to give the party ticket to the disqualified Congress MLA B C Patil.

The agitators shouted slogans “we do not want the BJP or the Congress. We will field our leader as an Independent.”