In a big relief to the ruling BJP in Karnataka, senior Lingayat leader and Housing Minister V Somanna on Wednesday, March 29, seemed to bury the hatchet with former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, when he called the latter “supreme leader”. Somanna and Yediyurappa were on the warpath recently, posing a serious challenge for the BJP in Karnataka. Somanna had skipped the BJP’s Vijay Sankalp Yatra at the beginning of March, alleging interference by Yediyurappa in the region. 

A few weeks later, Yediyurappa did not attend the unveiling of a 108-feet statue at the famous Male Mahadeshwara temple, which was attended by Sommanna, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and other ministers. Later, it was rumoured that Somanna would join Congress after a photo of him with Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar in an aircraft. However, after the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Somanna clarified that he would not quit the party. Days after Somanna met Amit Shah in Delhi, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel appointed Somanna’s son Arun as vice-president of the party’s Tumakuru unit.

Somanna is an influential leader and played a key role in defeating former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda in the last Lok Sabha elections. "Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is a smart person and has given better administration. Yediyurappa is the supreme leader," Somanna maintained. Addressing reporters on the achievements of his portfolio, Somanna stated, "Our government has been in power for 3 years and 10 months. I have used tough language many times. If anyone is hurt with the language, they should forgive. Politics is a bed of thorns," he said.