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.

The High Command decided to field Thotadappa Basavaraju from Varuna after BJP National General-Secretary and Karnataka In-charge K. Muralidhar Rao and BJP’s election-in-charge for Karnataka Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar held a couple of rounds of talks with BJP State President B.S. Yeddyurappa at Hotel President since 6 am today.

Sources said that Javadekar and Rao convinced Yeddyurappa not to insist on his son B.Y. Vijayendra contesting from Varuna. After much convincing and prodding, Yeddyurappa agreed and the leaders also told Yeddyurappa that Vijayendra will be made the Party General Secretary. Soon after the talks, Muralidhar Rao and Javadekar left for Bengaluru in a special flight and got in touch with the High Command to issue ‘B-Form’ to Thotadappa Basavaraju.

On his part, Thotadappa Basavaraju said that he had all his documents ready and was awaiting the ‘B Form’ from the party. “The B Form is on its way and it will be brought by air so that I will file my nominations,” he said. The BJP started hectic parleys early this morning as today is the last day for filing nominations.

Fifty-six-year-old Thotadappa Basavaraju, a Lingayat candidate, has been a BJP worker since 1980. He hails from T. Narasipur and owns a hotel called “Thotadappa Home Nest” at T. Narasipur. A staunch follower of Union Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar, Basavaraju was a strong aspirant for BJP ticket this time. However, cold water was splashed on his aspirations after Vijayendra started campaigning at Varuna.

Upset by this, Thotadappa Basavaraju filed his nominations as a BJP candidate from Varuna on Apr.19 but without ‘B Form.’ Now that he has been selected by the BJP as its official candidate, he told Star of Mysore this morning: “I had filed my papers as a BJP candidate and I had not submitted the ‘B Form.’ Now I will re-file my nominations as the official BJP candidate.”

Thotadappa Basavaraju added that he has worked for the party at various levels and is sure of victory. “Even Vijayendra will campaign for me and I am sure the party will be united in fighting the CM’s son,” he added.

Thotadappa Basavaraju filed his nomination papers at around 1.30 pm after receiving the B-Form today.

HECTIC ACTIVITY

Today being the last day of filing nominations, Mysuru witnessed hectic political activities. Soon after the BJP announced that it will not field Yeddyurappa’s son B.Y. Vijayendra from Varuna, the JDS(S) toyed with the idea of fielding G.D. Harish Gowda, the son of Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD), from Varuna against CM Siddharamaiah’s son Dr. Yathindra.

Even the name of retired Director General of Police L. Revanasiddaiah was doing the rounds as the BJP candidate. The former IPS officer had quit Congress recently for being ‘treated shabbily’ and had openly expressed his desire to defeat Siddharamaiah. However, the BJP decided to field Thotadappa Basavaraju.

At a hurriedly called press conference at his house in Vijayanagar 1st Stage, GTD clarified that his son was not contesting from Varuna.

“My son is looking after my election work in Chamundeshwari and all my supporters want him there and not Varuna,” he said.