Union Home Minister and BJP master strategist Amit Shah began his pre-poll exercises in Karnataka on Friday by sending out a message that the party is keen to keep its Lingayat vote base intact with the involvement of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.
The message was clear at the 115th birth anniversary programme of Siddaganga Mutt pontiff, the late Shivakumara Swami, on the Mutt premises in Tumakuru, where Mr. Shah shared dais with Lingayat strongman Mr. Yediyurappa, apparently to indicate that the party high command has not abandoned the veteran leader though he had to step down and make way for Basavaraj Bommai.
Mr. Yediyurappa’s name figured at the top of the list, ahead of Central Ministers and Mr. Bommai, when Mr. Shah referred to the dignitaries on the dais. This is being seen as a deliberate effort to send a message that the BJP central leadership still respects Mr. Yediyurappa. He even accompanied Mr. Shah during his journey from Bengaluru to Tumakuru.
