Bengaluru: Coming out in support of Yediyurappa, who is a Veerashaiva-Lingayat, the Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha has urged the BJP High Command not to change leadership.

Addressing a press meet here yesterday, Mahasabha National President Mahantesh Patil said that Yediyurappa has put in untiring efforts to bring the BJP to power in Karnataka.  Claiming that developmental works are going on in a full scale in the State and it is not right to remove Yediyurappa at this critical stage, Patil opined that talks about change of leadership is both confusing and misleading. 

Mahasabha Youth Wing President G. Manohar Abbigere said Yediyurappa had done a wonderful job during COVID crisis and it is not correct to give rise to speculations about his replacement at this critical juncture. Meanwhile, asserting that the BJP High Command has not given any hint of change of leadership, Revenue Minister R. Ashok said that Yediyurappa will continue. He said that the Opposition Congress is creating unnecessary confusion. “Lingayat leaders in the Congress such as M.B. Patil and Shamanur Shivashankarappa have voluntarily expressed their support to Yediyurappa,” he noted. 

Admitting that the BJP will have to face a difficult situation if Yediyurappa is asked to quit, Ashok maintained that the removal of BSY will also lead to a leadership crisis in the party.