Renuka sings BSY paeans

BANGALORE: Continuing from where he had left yesterday, Excise Minister M P Renukacharya on Friday once again attributed the BJP’s victory in the Koppal byelection to the popularity of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and also batted for his leadership in the 2013 assembly elections.Speaking to reporters here, Renukacharya, though, recognised the contribution of other state leaders, maintaining that it was Yeddyurappa’s image and popularity played a crucial role in the victory.“It is not my personal opinion but that of the people. I am only voicing their sentiments. Karadi Sanganna himself has said that he won because of Yeddyurappa. What more you want?” the excise minister said, adding that the saffron party would stand a better chance to win the next Assembly elections if Yeddyurappa is at the helm of the party in the state.In defence of his argument, Renukacharya said that the entire campaign of the opposition parties — Congress and JD(S) — rallied around Yeddyurappa and the charges against him. In a sense it was a battle between Yeddyurappa and the opposition parties. So people naturally consider it as his victory.When asked if he was suggesting that an individual was more important than the party, the minister said that the image of the leader heading the party matters most in elections.