Mysuru: In a surprise political development and unexpected twists and turns this morning, the BJP High Command has decided to field Thotadappa Basavaraju as its official candidate for Varuna Constituency to take on Chief Minister Siddharamaiah’s son and Congress candidate Dr. Yathindra.
In Badami Constituency of Bagalkot district, the BJP has fielded B. Sriramulu, MP and close aide of mining baron G. Janardhana Reddy, against Siddharamaiah. Sriramulu filed his nomination papers in Badami and vowed to defeat the CM. Badami has a sizable population of Valmiki (Nayaka) community to which Sriramulu belongs and the Constituency has a considerable number of Lingayats too. By fielding Sriramulu, the BJP is eyeing Lingayat and Nayaka votes.
