Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party President BS Yeddyurappa will contest the upcoming Assembly elections in the state from a constituency in north Karnataka, PTI reported. The BJP leader challenged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to contest from north Karnataka too.

“There is pressure on me to contest from Jewargi constituency in Kalaburagi district as well as from Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts,” The Hindu quoted Yeddyurappa as saying. “The final decision has not been taken yet. But it is certain that I will be contesting from north Karnataka. If Siddaramaiah also wants to contest from there, we welcome it.”

Yeddyurappa will contest from north Karnataka instead of Shikaripura constituency which has been his bastion for long. Northern parts of Karnataka have a significant population from the Lingayat community, many of whom voted for the BJP in the last Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

The state BJP chief also accused the chief minister of trying to “divide Veerashaiva-Lingayat community” for electoral benefit, The Hindu reported. “But he will not succeed in his attempt. It is certain that the BJP will come back to power in the next elections,” he said.