Bengaluru, Jan 16 (IANS): Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra said on Tuesday that the statue of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar in Bengaluru represents brotherhood among the people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Speaking after putting garlands around the statue of Thiruvalluvar in Bengaluru, Vijayendra added that the statues of Thiruvalluvar in Bengaluru and Kannada legendary poet Sarvajna in Chennai stand as a symbol of brotherhood between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Despite the struggle, proposals to inaugurate statues of Thiruvalluvar in Bengaluru and Sarvajna in Tamil Nadu were pending for decades, said the Karnataka BJP President.

"Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa (his father) made this a reality," Vijayendra added.

Considering the struggles in this regard, in 2009 the then Chief Minister Yediyurappa unveiled the statues of the two legendary philosophers to strengthen the bond of harmony between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, he said.

"Thiruvalluvar's statue remained wrapped for 18 years in Bengaluru. With the efforts of former CM Yediyurappa, the statue of Thiruvalluvar was unveiled here and on the other hand Sarvajna's statue was also inaugurated in Chennai," he added.

Such statements have assumed importance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections as Bengaluru city has a large number of Tamil people and outreach by Vijayendra is seen as a move to win over the Tamil votebank in the state.