<p>Former Congress minister M B Patil on Thursday dared the BJP to declare its veteran B S Yediyurappa as its 2023 chief ministerial candidate. </p>.<p>Patil, one of the Congress’ Lingayat faces, was reacting to concerns that the Congress may not be able to make inroads into the Lingayat community following Yediyurappa’s elevation to the BJP’s top decision-making bodies - the Central Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee. </p>.<p>“Firstly, Yediyurappa is a senior person and I wish him well,” Patil said. “But, if (BJP) had so much love and respect for Yediyurappa, why was he removed as chief minister? Now, you’ve put him on the parliamentary board and election committee. If you have so much love and respect, declare Yediyurappa as your CM candidate,” Patil, the chairman of KPCC campaign committee, said. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/b-s-yediyurappa-elevated-to-top-body-in-bjp-rejig-1137036.html">B S Yediyurappa elevated to top body in BJP rejig</a></strong></p>.<p>Patil said the Lingayat community is not “dumb” to miss the BJP’s ways. “The community knows that the BJP is simply trying to use Yediyurappa,” he said. “The special love for Yediyurappa has come because the BJP here has lost its identity. The BJP has fallen flat going by surveys, people’s opinions, media opinions and developments such as (law minister) J C Madhuswamy’s statement on the functioning of the government and Siddaramaiah’s Davangere event that drew a huge crowd,” he explained. </p>.<p>Yediyurappa’s elevation is expected to help the BJP block the Congress’ attempts to project the former chief minister as being sidelined, on the back of which it wanted to woo the dominant Lingayat community.</p>.<p>Last year, Patil had publicly backed Yediyurappa days before he stepped down as chief minister, warning the BJP of facing the wrath of Lingayats for “ill-treating” the veteran. Congress veteran Shamanur Shivashankarappa, too, had backed Yediyurappa last year. </p>.<p>“There’s no doubt that Yediyurappa is a tall Lingayat leader,” Patil admitted. “But, the community knows why he was removed (as CM). Will he be made CM again? They just want to use him,” he said.</p>
<p>Former Congress minister M B Patil on Thursday dared the BJP to declare its veteran B S Yediyurappa as its 2023 chief ministerial candidate. </p>.<p>Patil, one of the Congress’ Lingayat faces, was reacting to concerns that the Congress may not be able to make inroads into the Lingayat community following Yediyurappa’s elevation to the BJP’s top decision-making bodies - the Central Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee. </p>.<p>“Firstly, Yediyurappa is a senior person and I wish him well,” Patil said. “But, if (BJP) had so much love and respect for Yediyurappa, why was he removed as chief minister? Now, you’ve put him on the parliamentary board and election committee. If you have so much love and respect, declare Yediyurappa as your CM candidate,” Patil, the chairman of KPCC campaign committee, said. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/b-s-yediyurappa-elevated-to-top-body-in-bjp-rejig-1137036.html">B S Yediyurappa elevated to top body in BJP rejig</a></strong></p>.<p>Patil said the Lingayat community is not “dumb” to miss the BJP’s ways. “The community knows that the BJP is simply trying to use Yediyurappa,” he said. “The special love for Yediyurappa has come because the BJP here has lost its identity. The BJP has fallen flat going by surveys, people’s opinions, media opinions and developments such as (law minister) J C Madhuswamy’s statement on the functioning of the government and Siddaramaiah’s Davangere event that drew a huge crowd,” he explained. </p>.<p>Yediyurappa’s elevation is expected to help the BJP block the Congress’ attempts to project the former chief minister as being sidelined, on the back of which it wanted to woo the dominant Lingayat community.</p>.<p>Last year, Patil had publicly backed Yediyurappa days before he stepped down as chief minister, warning the BJP of facing the wrath of Lingayats for “ill-treating” the veteran. Congress veteran Shamanur Shivashankarappa, too, had backed Yediyurappa last year. </p>.<p>“There’s no doubt that Yediyurappa is a tall Lingayat leader,” Patil admitted. “But, the community knows why he was removed (as CM). Will he be made CM again? They just want to use him,” he said.</p>
