My entry not dynasty politics; party brass wanted me to contest: BY Vijayendra

Having become a household name in Karnataka overnight for the “emotional outburst” by his supporters in Mysuru last week, BY Vijayendra, youngest son of BJP’s CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa, is a disappointed man. Denied a party ticket from Varuna, he claims the disappointment is for his workers and “defectors” from other parties who joined BJP on the assurance that Yeddyurappa’s son will contest from Varuna.

You lost the ticket for Varuna at the last moment after a fight within your party...
I will not deny that I was disappointed. But my disappointment is not over not getting a ticket but for my party workers who worked for me and local gram panchayat leaders who defected from JD(S) and Congress, purely because of my possible candidature. I suspect it will take at least three to four days for me to calm tempers and emotions in Varuna. With our candidate a relatively new face, we will take a couple of days to kickstart afresh.

Is BJP’s dynastic politics rhetoric to blame?
Neither me nor my brother BY Raghavendra wanted to enter politics. My brother was fielded from Shivamogga when former CM S Bangarappa contested from that seat. I had never dreamed of entering politics. The central leadership personally sought my candidature from Varuna and neither my father nor me were inclined to bring in another Yeddyurappa family member into politics.


What is your assessment of the ground situation?
BJP could have easily won a minimum of 10-15 seats in Old Mysuru but post this development, and the disappointment among party workers, we are yet to assess the situation. But we are confident of securing a minimum of 7 to 8 seats...

There is a concern among Lingayats that because you were denied the ticket, the same treatment will be meted out to your father BS Yeddyurappa for the CM’s post if the BJP wins...
There have been repeated assurances from PM Modi and national president Amit Shah that Yeddyurappa will become CM and remain so for five years. My being denied a ticket by the party has nothing to do with my father becoming CM. The relationship between my father and PM Modi is over and above our local rapport in the party.