BSY's son to wait till BJP decides his name as MLC candidate

BJP's vice-president and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Vijayendra on Sunday preferred to wait till the final decision comes from the BJP parliamentary board regarding his candidature for the legislative council election.

"It has come to my notice that my name has been recommended during the BJP core committee meeting, which was held on Saturday, as one of the candidates for the four MLC seats the party is going to win," Vijayendra told reporters.

"However, it's the central parliamentary board of the party, which will take a final call. So, it's premature (to celebrate). Let's wait because the final decision has to come from Delhi. Probably, it may take two to three days," the former Chief Minister's son said.

The BJP leader was reacting to the news that his name is among the 20 names recommended by the core committee to contest the Rajya Sabha and legislative council elections next month.

Biennial elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka -- two each in graduates and teachers constituencies of the state Legislative Council will be held on June 10 and 13 respectively. Also, biennial elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council for seven seats will be held on June 3.

Vijayendra expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, senior leaders of the party and core committee members for recommending his name.

Replying to a query on his work in the old Mysuru region, which led to party's victory for the first time in Krishnarajapet in Mandya district Assembly by-poll, the place Yediyurappa's family hails from, Vijayendra said he was not the only one in the party to have worked there.

"But it is matter of joy that my name has been recommended to Delhi in recognition of my work. I also feel proud of it," the BJP leader said. He also underlined that he was working to materialise the desire of the party central leaders to get maximum seats from the old Mysuru region in the Assembly elections.

Stating that he did not work to get a position in the party, Vijayendra said he will successfully shoulder the responsibility given to his by the BJP central and State leaders. If elected, Vijayendra will be the third from Lingayat strongman Yediyurappa's family to get into electoral politics on the BJP ticket.

Yediyurappa himself is an MLA from Shikaripura and his elder son B Y Raghavendra an MP from Shivamogga.