BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said on Tuesday that he will be the party candidate from Vijayapura in the next Lok Sabha elections as the Delimitation Commission of India is likely to de-reserve the constituency.
“There will be delimitation soon. Vijayapura will be thrown open for general competition. I will fight the next elections from Vijayapura and will be the local MP for 20 years, till my death,” Mr. Yatnal said in Vijayapura on Tuesday.
He was speaking at a party campaign rally.
However, the Union government is yet to announce the formation of a panel for the purpose. The constituency has remained reserved for candidates of Scheduled Castes communities since 2008. Veteran Dalit leader in the BJP Ramesh Jigajinagi has represented it since then.
Mr. Yatnal has served as MP from Vijayapura (earlier Bijapur) for two terms in the past.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jijaginagi filed his nomination papers in Vijayapura on Tuesday.
Mr. Yatnal said that he will challenge Congress leader and Minister Shivanand Patil to face him in the next Lok Sabha polls. “He keeps teasing me every time. I have told him to face me in the polls. But he escapes. I am throwing an open challenge to him to face me in the next polls,” he said.
He said that while he works for society, Mr. Patil works only for his family.
“Some people have been telling Mr. Jigajinagi that I am not active in the campaign. It is not true. I am very active. I have a strong team of dedicated and honest party workers in Vijayapura. They are working day and night. My team does not ask for money. Anyway, Mr. Jigajinagi does not spend much money on poll campaigns. He gives ₹50,000 to party workers and expects works worth ₹5 lakh to be done. But that is all right. We are not here for money. We are here for Hindutva and Mr. Modi. If we do not work for Mr. Jigajinagi because we have some differences with him, it will amount to betraying Mr. Modi,” Mr. Yatnal said.
He asked voters to ensure that the BJP comes back to power. “I urge you not to vote looking at Mr. Jigajinagi’s or my face. You should vote for the Lotus symbol, only to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister for the third time. That is important for the safety and security of the country and for Hindutva,” he said.
