PM Modi praises Yediyurappa's farewell speech, calls it inspiring

In his farewell speech in Karnataka Assembly, the 79-year-old leader announced his retirement from electoral politics

Amid talk of the BJP sidelining former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the Lingayat leader's speech in the Karnataka Assembly saying that it reflected the party's ethics.

"As a worker of BJP, I found this speech very inspiring. This reflects our party's ethics. It will definitely inspire other party workers as well," Modi wrote as he retweeted BJP Karnataka's post sharing Yediyurappa's speech.

In another tweet, the PM said Shivamogga airport will boost commerce, connectivity and enhance tourism in the region.

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The PM will inaugurate the newly built airport on February 27, which happens to be former chief minister B S Yediyurappa's birthday when he will turn 80.

Yediyurappa had earlier requested the PM to inaugurate the airport on February 27 as his followers planned a grand event to mark the airport as his birthday gift to Shivamogga district.

The PM's tweets gained significance ahead of the coming assembly polls as it was perceived that the party would engage the Lingayat leader for campaigning aggressively.

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Though initially there was talks within the political circle that Yediyurappa was sidelined by the BJP, in recent days, he was seen taking part actively in the organisational works.

Earlier several state BJP leaders cautioned the party's top brass that ignoring Yediyurappa would send a wrong message to the Lingayat community, which is considered a strong vote bank of the saffron party. With the Lingayat community also fractured in recent days due to reservation demand by the Panchamasali Lingayat, the party wanted to be cautious as it didn't want to antagonise any Lingayat leaders ahead of the elections, said the leader in the BJP.

In his farewell speech in Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday, the 79-year-old leader announced his retirement from electoral politics.

Dismissing the talk of the party sidelining him, Yediyurappa in his emotional speech on Wednesday said, "I have heard people commenting that the BJP did injustice to me and is neglecting me. The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have never neglected me. I am indebted to Modi for the position and respect he gave me. I can never forget the opportunities and positions given to me," Yediyurappa had said.

"Till the last breath of my life, I will honestly strive for building BJP and to bring it to power, let there be no doubts about it,” Yediyurappa had said.