Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday, January 30, announced his retirement from electoral politics. Yediyurappa, who is also a member of the BJP's Central Parliamentary Committee, however, clarified that he will continue to be in politics.
Addressing reporters in Belagavi, Yediyurappa said that he won't contest in the upcoming Assembly elections, adding that he is not planning to contest any elections in future. "I am 80 years old now. I can't contest elections," he said.
He said that he will continue in active politics and maintained that his only aim now is to bring the BJP government back to power in the state. "My aim is also to ensure the return of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," he added.
Yediyurappa said he decided against contesting any elections when he resigned as Chief Minister a year ago. He said there had been pressure from party workers in the Old Mysore region to field Vijayendra from there, but, as I am vacating Shikaripur, he will contest from here.
According to a report in The Hindu, Vijayendra, who is also vice-president of the state BJP, said, “A month ago, leaders and workers from Shikaripur met my father in Bengaluru and put pressure on him to field me from this constituency.”
Speaking about the Opposition, Yediyurappa said that two people from Karnataka are going around claiming that they would become the next Chief Minister, but only someone from BJP will be the next Chief Minister.
With IANS inputs