Yeddyurappa pooh-poohs pre-poll surveys

Mysore, May 2: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa today dismissed the pre-poll surveys conducted by the media, favouring the Congress in the coming Assembly elections in the State, as being far from truth.

Participating in a meet-the-press programme, organised by the Mysore District Journalists Association here, he exuded confidence that his party would form the Government on its own after the polls and said his party was the front runner in all respects. The BJP could only provide a stable Government, he said, claiming that the people of the State have discarded their confusions and made up their mind to give a clear mandate to his party.

Mr Yeddyurappa acknowledged that it was a mistake on the BJP's part to align with the JD(S) as the latter had betrayed it by not handing over power to the party as per their power sharing agreement.

He claimed that if his party was elected to power, the State would be developed to make it a model one in the country.

On former Chief Minister S Bangarappa contesting against him from Shikaripura constituency in Shimoga, he said it was a conspiracy hatched by the Congress and the JD(S). However, he would win the election with a huge margin and Mr Bangarappa might even lose deposit, he claimed.

Denying reports that he would contest from some other constituency also, he said Shikaripura had given him real life and he would not leave the constituency.

UNI