Karnataka: BSY critics rally behind Somanna as Lingayat leader braces for show of his clout with Lingayats

Senior BJP Lingayat leader V Somanna, who lost the recent assembly polls from two constituencies against CM Siddaramaiah, has emerged as the rallying point for BJP leaders in the anti-Yediyurappa camp. He is expected to meet BJP leadership in Delhi on December 7 with his own set of demands. He is planning to meet the Delhi leadership with MLAs Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Arvind Bellad and Ramesh Jarkiholi and former minister Aravind Limbavali. The team is planning to camp in Delhi for three days and meet all important leaders in a bid to secure their future in the BJP.

On Saturday, Somanna met the head of the powerful Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru to discuss his political future. With the seer, he openly cursed his own fate saying he had landed his present political mess by listening to Home Minister Amit Shah and leaving his own safe constituency in Bengaluru.

The 73-year old Lingayat leader has been sulking after he lost the polls and the party denied him the state unit president, a position he strongly lobbied for to keep himself occupied. Sensing trouble, Yediyurappa, who is also a member of the BJP Parliamentary Board, made attempts to reach Somanna on phone on Saturday, but the former minister refused to take his calls, in an open display of his dislike for the former CM.

In the meanwhile, there are speculations that Somanna may contest the Lok Sabha polls from Tumakuru, which is currently held by the BJP’s GS Basavaraju. The MP has said he owed his win to Somanna, and if the Lingayat leader wished to contest, he would be happy to work for his victory.

The Karnataka BJP is divided between Yediyurappa and BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh camps. The selection of BY Vijayendra as the party state unit chief and R Ashoka as Opposition leader is said to have been influenced by Yediyurappa. Some of the leaders who aspired for these positions are throwing their weight behind Somanna.

There are reports that Somanna may hold a show of strength in Tumakuru in December first week before the Delhi trip. There had been speculations that he may join the Congress, but a lot depends on the deal he may get from the Delhi leadership for himself and his son Arun V Somanna.

Political observers say the party, including Yediyurappa, may not want to lose Somanna as it has had a bitter taste in a series of defeats in the recent assembly polls after former CM Jagadish Shettar, a Lingayat leader, quit the party over denial of ticket to contest polls. He switched to the Congress and has become a bitter critic of the BJP.Limbavali, whose wife is a BJP MLA, had recently sparked a row, alleging that Vijayendra and Ashok’s appointments were an outcome of an “adjustment” with rival parties.