“I contested from Varuna and Chamarajanagar as per BJP High Command’s decision, but lost both”

Bengaluru: A day after he lost from both Varuna and Chamarajanagar Assembly segments, former Minister V. Somanna said that he contested from the two high stakes Constituencies as per the BJP High Command’s decision.

Speaking to presspersons here yesterday, Somanna shared his feelings with the media thus: “What have I got to say when I have lost from both the Constituencies. I took the Assembly polls contest as a challenge which I however failed to succeed. I was a sitting MLA from Bengaluru’s Govindarajanagar, which was dear to me. But now everything is past. At present, I am jobless. I just obeyed the Party’s orders and contested from Varuna   and Chamarajanagar.”

When asked whether the BJP had sidelined B.S. Yediyurappa (BSY), Somanna replied in the negative.

Maintaining that the BJP went to polls under BSY’s guidance, he said it is true that the BJP has suffered a serious setback with the loss of Assembly polls. But that is not the end, he said adding that the party will move on under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, who has been leading the country magnificently for the past 9 years.

He further said that he had asked the party ticket for his son Dr. Arun Somanna, which however, was not entertained by the BJP leadership. Everything happens as per destiny, he remarked.

Asserting that time alone would tell the answer for everything, Somanna said he was a hard worker and it is disappointing that the people rejected him. He further said that the poll results have shown that development is not the only mantra for winning.

Now that the Congress is coming to power, Somanna batted for KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar as the next Chief Minister. Arguing that Siddharamaiah has become the Chief Minister once, he said that now it should be the turn of Shivakumar. However, it is upto the Congress High Command to take a decision on who should be the CM, he added.

Shah and Santosh call Somanna

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National Organising Secretary B.L. Santosh called Somanna over phone and spoke some comforting words to help him overcome the defeat.

The two, who spoke to Somanna soon after the results were out on Saturday, said this was an unexpected result and the party would take the people’s mandate in its stride.

Admitting that the party’s calculations went wrong, they said that they and the party would always stand by him. They also told him that he should not lose confidence and continue with  his good work.