Yediyurappa's 'gherao' by BJP workers leads to poll yatra being called off

Bengaluru: In another indication of the growing rifts in the BJP's Karnataka unit, a Vijay Sankalpa Yatra, supposed to be led by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in Mudigere assembly constituency in Chikmagalur district on Thursday, was called off after a public showdown between local leaders.

The development took place after party workers, allegedly supporters of BJP national General Secretary C.T. Ravi, surrounded Yediyurappa on Thursday afternoon, demanding that incumbent MLA from Mudigere M.P. Kumaraswamy be denied the ticket for re-election. Visibly disturbed by the turn of events, Yediyurappa turned back, leading to cancellation of the roadshow.

Ravi, who was also present there, was seen walking away to the other side along with his supporters. The incident is being seen as a fallout of the political one-upmanship in the BJP.Yeddyurappa, who has announced his retirement from electoral politics, had recently declared that his son B.Y. Vijayendra will be the BJP candidate from the family fief of Shikaripura constituency in Shimoga district. However, Ravi had dismissed the former Chief Minister's statement.