New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran BS Yediyurappa is all set to start his tour from April 20 in the state to vouch for the saffron party to assure its victory in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Polls schdeuled on May 10.

Talking to press person, BJP loyalist Yediyurppa claimed that the BJP will form the government again in Karnataka by getting absolute majority this time.

Earlier the BJP leader had made claims that the saffron party will win 150 seats in the state, for which they have made strategy already that will be formulated with corporation of Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai.

On being asked if BS Yediyurappa still thinks the same now that the party’s veteran leader Jagadish Shettar has switched to Congress on Monday, he said there are 101% chances that “we will get absolute majority”.

While quitting BJP, former CM Shettar alleged that he was “humiliated and ignored” amid other charges. Responding to which, Yediyurappa dismissed the allegations saying that he did not agree with Shettar.

BS Yediyurappa: A Lingayat Strongman

BS Yediyurappa is dear to the BJP leadership, owing to which, the former CM will campaign for the saffron party to bag votes with the aim to win 150 seats.

However, Yediyurappa had his conflicts with the BJP in 2011, which made him to part ways with the saffron party in the following year. His tenure was CM was marked by charges of curroption and nepotism.

Miffed out, Yediyurappa went on to form his own party Karnataka Janata Paksha in 2012. He took several leaders of BJP along with him and induced them in his party.

However, former CM Yediyurappa disestablished his party in 2014 and merged it with the Bharatiya Janata Party. “Let us forget the past….let us remove mutual suspicion and work together as the children of a mother”, said Yediyurappa while returning to the parent party.

Why Yediyurappa’s tour is crucial to BJP?

It is worth noting that BS Yediyurappa is a Veerashaiva-Lingayat strongman. For the Lingayat community, Yediyurappa is an influential leader. Recently, when the BJP veteran announced his retirement from electoral politics, as per the media reports, had the community upset.

Not just the Lingayats but many in the BJP’s Karnataka’s unit resented his retirement who reportedly thought that the party inented to sideline the community. However, the Lingayat strongman asserted that he stepped back from the active politics owing to his own will.