Chikkamagaluru (Karnataka) : Former Chief Minister and BJP senior leader B S Yediyurappa, who had arrived in Chikkamagaluru for the BJP's Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra, had to cancel half of the yatra and left the venue in a huff on Thursday. When Yediyurappa arrived for the BJP Yatra here, the local BJP workers started shouting slogans on the road not to give the ticket to Mudigere Constituency MLA M P Kumaraswamy in the coming elections.
Yediyurappa turned angry and shouted at the crowd but the protesting saffron activists did not calm down. He cancelled the program and his car drove towards the helipad. This incident took place on the road near Moodigere bus stand. Along with Yediyurappa, Union Minister Sadananda Gowda and many other leaders had arrived at Mudigere in Chikkamagaluru to participate in this yatra.
BJP activists continued raising slogans against Mudigere sitting MLA Kumaraswamy. ''MLA has not worked in favour of activists. The development of the area is stunted. If he wins further, there will be no development in the constituency. So don't give the ticket to Kumaraswamy, someone else should be given chosen. The party is more important than the individual,'' activists said.
Also Read : PM Modi unveils Rs 8,480 Cr Expressway ahead of Karnataka Polls
Lingayat leader Yediyurappa, seen as the strongman of BJP in Karnataka, is bogged down in an unexpected crisis ahead of the 2023 Assembly election. There is rising opposition within the party against his bid to get a ticket for his son B Y Vijayendra to contest from the Shikaripura segment in Shivamogga. His opponents are raising the bogey of the saffron party line against 'dynastic politics' to checkmate Yediyurappa. Supporters of BJP national general secretary C T Ravi Gowda gheraoed Yediyurappa's car during the party election campaign.
The Karnataka election scene is hotting up. Last Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a massive roadshow in Mandya and also unveiled the Rs. 8,480 Cr worth of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. The BJP is making a strong effort to retain power in the only southern State where it could form the government. Whereas, Congress is hopeful of taking advantage of the anti-incumbency and internal rivalry within the BJP.
