BJP's CM candidate gambles with his luck

Bharatiya Janata Party's Karnataka chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa has decided against contesting the elections from a second constituency. He has decided to ignore the advise given by a section of his party to contest from a second constituency as in Shikaripura he would be fighting S Bangarappa, who has never tasted defeat in an assembly election.

Bangarappa vs Yeddyurappa in Shikaripura

There was speculation that Yeddyurappa will be filing his nominations from a constituency in North Karnataka, which would be going to polls during the third phase of the polls on May 22 2008.

Even if he wishes to contest from a second constituency, he would not be able to do so now as the last date of filing nominations for the third phase of the polls was May 3, 2008.

Yeddyurappa has a tough battle ahead at Shikaripura in Shimoga from where he was elected in the 2004 elections. However, this year it is an entirely different ball game and it would be a battle of two former chief ministers.

S Bangarappa, the Samajwadi Party candidate, has clean slate when it comes to assembly elections and has never lost before. To make matters worse for Yeddyurappa, the Janata Dal-Secular has not fielded a candidate.

JD-S supremo H D Deve Gowda said Bangarappa is a friend and hence, he would like to help him. The Congress too decided to withdraw its candidate from the fray in a bid to help Bangarappa.

Poll pundits say the battle is on in Shikaripura. Bangarappa has been wooing voters on the ground that this would be his last election and hence he should be given a final chance. However, Yeddyurappa maintains that he would be the chief minister if the BJP comes to power and hence he be elected from this constituency.

While some close associates of Yeddyurappa advised to go for a second constituency, the party leadership in New Delhi maintained by doing so the BJP would give the indication that it was pressing the panic button.