Cries in favour of BJP leader B.Y. Vijayendra from his supporters at a meeting convened to campaign for the party candidate in the ensuing elections to the Legislative Council from South Graduates constituency in Mysuru on Tuesday appeared to have irked Minister for Housing V. Somanna.
A large number of Mr. Vijayendra’s supporters, who had gathered for the meeting, shouted slogans in favour of their leader, who is also the son of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.
When cries like “Mr. Vijayendra, the next Chief Minister” continued to rent the air even when Mr. Somanna was addressing the meeting, the latter was evidently upset. He cautioned the slogan shouting crowd against “belittling” others while praising one person.
“If it is fated, Mr. Vijayendra will become what he has to become. Don’t make him a sacrificial lamb… There are rules and regulations in this party. Don’t belittle others. Please understand…”, Mr. Somanna said sparking another round of disquiet in the crowd.
While Mr. Somanna’s supporters in the gathering were also seen shouting and gesticulating to Mr. Vijayendra’s supporters, Mr. Somanna sought to remind the gathering that he is also a senior politician, who had been elected five times to the Legislative Assembly from Bengaluru, besides becoming a member of the Legislative Council and the State Ministry.
Amid the pandemonium in the gathering with Mr. Vijayendra’s supporters continuing to shout slogans in his favour, Mr. Vijayendra walked to the podium and called upon the gathering to remain quiet and said Mr. Somanna was also speaking good words about him.
It may be mentioned here that both Mr. Vijayendra, who is also the party’s State vice-president, and Mr. Somanna belong to the Veerashaiva Lingayat community.
The other BJP leaders, who participated in the meeting included MP Pratap Simha, MLAs L. Nagendra and Niranjan Kumar, Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, and Karnataka Tourism Development Corporation Ccairperson K.P. Siddalingaswamy.
