Mysore/Mysuru: Asserting that the BJP would win more than 130 seats in the May 10 Assembly polls, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa (BSY) has called upon Lingayat community leaders to ensure the victory of KR BJP candidate T.S. Srivatsa by a huge margin.

He was addressing Veerashaiva-Lingayat community leaders at a private Hotel on B.N. Road here yesterday.

Reiterating that the BJP would retain power by winning more than 130 seats in the Assembly polls, BSY called upon community leaders to vote for T.S. Srivatsa en masse and thus ensure his victory with a huge margin.

Asking the community members not to pay heed to leaders from other parties, who are spreading falsehood, he said that the community leaders must actively campaign for Srivatsa and also for BJP candidates in other Constituencies.

Maintaining that the BJP has always treated Veerashaiva-Lingayat community leaders with respectability, he recalled that the community leaders stood by him all the times.

Stating that he has promised PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President J.P. Nadda of full support of the community and formation of a BJP Government, he urged the Lingayat community to exercise their franchise in large numbers and ensure the victory of KR BJP candidate T.S. Srivatsa.

KR BJP candidate T.S. Srivatsa, former MLC Thontadarya, State BJP Vice-President M. Rajendra, former Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, Corporator B.V. Manjunath, community leaders Kanya Shivamurthy, K.N. Puttabuddhi, K.P. Siddalingaswamy, Cable Mahesh, Niranjan Murthy, Jayashankar, Girish of Jeevadhara Blood Bank, Puttarajappa, Santosh Kumar, Prakash Patel, Jaya Gowda and others were present.