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Tag: Somanna

  • Karnataka polls: Siddaramaiah locked in fierce fight with BJP’s Somanna in Varuna

    Karnataka polls: Siddaramaiah locked in fierce fight with BJP’s Somanna in Varuna

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    Varuna: It’s a battle royale in the Varuna constituency in Mysuru district where the BJP with all its might has decided to take Congress strongman Siddaramaiah head-on in his home turf in the May 10 Assembly election.

    The ruling party has fielded Housing Minister V Somanna against the former Chief Minister, who is fighting his last election, in this segment, where his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah won the previous polls in 2018.

    As the then Chief Minister, he contested from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru district from where he had been an MLA five times but had lost twice there, and Badami in Bagalkote district.

    MS Education Academy

    Siddaramaiah lost to JD(S) candidate G T Deve Gowda in Chamundeshwari but won from Badami with a margin of 1,696 votes against BJP’s B Sriramulu.

    “We have fielded Somanna as our candidate from Varuna. You (people) make him MLA and send him to the Assembly. I’m telling you that BJP will make him a big personality…,” said Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who addressed an election rally a few days ago.

    The Sangh Parivar has put all its energy behind the 72-year-old Somanna, who had been an MLA from Govindaraj Nagar in Bengaluru, from where he has been moved out for the first time.

    According to Somanna, a five-time MLA, he was not willing to contest election this time and wanted to retire but the BJP top leadership asked him to fight from Varuna and Chamarajanagar segments and he could not say no to them.

    “What else can I say when the Prime Minister asked me to contest from Varuna? I agreed to it,” Somanna said.

    The 75-year-old Siddaramaiah, an eight time MLA, is upbeat about his electoral prospects.

    “As Chief Minister I have given many good programmes. I have done a lot of work here for the people. This is my last election and after this, I am going to retire from active politics,” said.

    The electioneering in Varuna has become ‘star-studded’.

    Kannada actors Shivaraj Kumar and B R Vijay Kumar, popularly known as Duniya Vijay, campaigned for Somanna, while Sommanna brought in renowned actor Sudeep Sanjeev, fondly called as Kichcha Sudeep, to add star appeal.

    The electoral fight is so fierce here that many voters say: “We have not seen a poll battle like this before”.

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    #Karnataka #polls #Siddaramaiah #locked #fierce #fight #BJPs #Somanna #Varuna

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Karnataka BJP infighting: Senior min V Somanna lands in Delhi

    Karnataka BJP infighting: Senior min V Somanna lands in Delhi

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    Bengaluru: The infighting within Karnataka’s ruling BJP came out in open as Housing Minister V. Somanna, who is reportedly miffed with former CM B.S. Yediyurappa and his son B.Y. Vijayendra for meddling, reached New Delhi on Wednesday to meet senior party leaders.

    The minister, who is in-charge for Chamarajanagar, remained absent from the ‘Vijay Sankalp Yatra’ in the district attended by BJP national President J.P. Nadda and also kept distance from the party activities. His son Arun Somanna, without taking his name, attacked Vijayendra on a public platform.

    Somanna is likely to meet Union Minister for Mine, Coal and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi and other senior leaders. Sources said that he is going to seek clarity on his position and seek a stop to interference by Yediyurappa and his son Vijayendra.

    A Lingayat leader and brought to the BJP by Yediyurappa, Somanna did not back Yediyurappa when he left the BJP to form his Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) and since then both leaders are at loggerheads.

    “Straight talk will land you in trouble. I am not here to plead before anyone. I know how to behave appropriately and I can’t giggle simply. I have practised direct politics. The truth is bitter under present circumstances.

    “Yediyurappa is a big leader. I won’t talk about him. You ask him how the situation was 15 years ago? He should also notice who is contributing to the party,” Somanna told media persons.

    Asked if he is in New Delhi to complain on Vijayendra, Somanna said that Vijayendra is just the son of Yediyurappa. “What is his age to compare him with me? There are many leaders of his age with me. Yediyurappa has not spoken to me. If he wants to talk, I will go to him. I don’t hate Yediyurappa,” he said.

    Sources claim that Somanna is all set to join the Congress as the BJP is not giving concrete promises about his future. The Congress has, on the other hand, given him the offer of a prominent post for him and his son Arun Somanna if he quits the BJP. The Congress is thinking of gaining upper hand in at least 10 assembly constituencies in Bengaluru if it manages to lure him to its side.

    Yediyurappa has stated that he would talk to him and ensure that Somanna remains in BJP. But, after Somanna’s statement, he has not made any attempt to talk to him, sources said.

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    #Karnataka #BJP #infighting #Senior #min #Somanna #lands #Delhi

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )