Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday dared BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa to contest from the Varuna constituency here in the May 12 assembly election.

"I challenge Yeddyurappa to contest from Varuna if he is so sure of winning instead of fielding his second son (B.Y. Vijayendra) against my son Yathindra," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

Though the Chief Minister was re-elected twice from Varuna since 2008 assembly poll, he is likely to field Yathindra this time, as he is planning to contest from Chamundeshwari in the same district.

He said that the BJP, which failed to win a single seat in the Mysuru region in May 2013 assembly election now "boasts of defeating me or my son this time. I accept the challenge. Let Yeddyurappa or his son contest against me or my son".

"As the people of Varuna know of my contribution to the constituency, they will certainly vote for those who worked and none else," said Siddaramaiah.

Questioning Yeddyurappa's credentials to contest from any assembly segment in Mysuru region, he asked what was the BJP leader's contribution to the region or the state during his three-year tenure.

"What is his (Yeddyurappa) connection with Varuna or Mysuru. As people are wise, they know whom to vote. Even if my son contests, people will vote for him and not Yeddyurappa's son (Vijayendra)," he said.

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Ranchi: Champai Soren, a prominent figure in Jharkhand’s statehood movement, is contesting the 2024 assembly elections from Seraikela, a seat he has consistently held since 1991.

However, there is a surprising shift in his political journey this year. Having resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) earlier this year, Soren is now representing the BJP, a move that could significantly impact the electoral dynamics in the state.

Soren’s switiching is seen as a strategic benefit for the saffron party, which has been working to expand its appeal among Jharkhand’s tribal communities, a demographic traditionally aligned with the JMM. His departure from the JMM, led by Shibu Soren and his son Hemant Soren, was fueled by dissatisfaction with the state government’s policies, which he claimed had failed to address tribal concerns.

Also known as "Jharkhand’s Tiger" for his instrumental role in the statehood movement of the 1990s, Champai Soren has respect and influence among tribal voters. His decision to switch the party could be a turning point in the BJP’s efforts to gain a stronger hold in a state where tribal votes often decide the outcome.