Yediyurappa didn’t call me even once after the election: Somanna expresses disappointment

BENGALURU: Former minister and BJP leader V Somanna, who lost the Assembly election from both Varuna and Chamarajanagar, on Tuesday expressed disappointment that senior leader B S Yediyurappa did not call him even once after the Assembly election results came out.

“Former chief minister B S  Yediyurappa used to call me every day during the election, but he did not call even once after the election”, Somanna said, expressing his disappointment.

Somanna contested from Varuna Assembly constituency against Siddaramaiah on the party high command’s direction, but he lost the polls with a margin of 46,006 votes.

On Tuesday, caretaker CM Basavaraj Bommai visited Somanna at his residence. After reviewing the party’s defeat for some time, he extended support to Somanna not to worry about the defeat and assured him that the party would give a suitable position.

Caretaker Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai emerging after meeting V Somanna.

Speaking to mediapersons after meeting Bommai, Somanna said, “Yediyurappa used to call me every day during the election campaign. But he has not called ever since the election results were announced”.

Answering question about whether the party gave him courage after his defeat, Somanna said, “What should give me courage? I have done this job for the last 45 years. I left my own constituency, which is like gold. I contested from another constituency on the direction of the high command, but lost the polls. I have the power to digest failure. The party is bigger than me. If someone like me does not do what the party says, then who else will do it?”, he added.