New Delhi: BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa is out of energy and electoral politics for certain, however his clout within the social gathering’s affairs in Karnataka stays undiminished as its central management appears to be as soon as once more falling again on this seasoned oarsman to ship within the coming Lok Sabha polls.
Whether it’s number of candidates or quelling dissidence in a number of constituencies, the social gathering’s 81-year-old central election committee member is seen to be “man-of-the-season.” Stakes are certainly excessive for the BJP Parliamentary Board member as he must be certain that his son B Y Vijayendra consolidates his place because the social gathering’s state President and silence critics who’ve questioned his choice for the publish ignoring the claims of skilled arms.
The octogenarian, who has already introduced his retirement from electoral politics, is sought to be placed on the pedestal by the BJP’s central leaders, making him a key ballot mascot within the state, together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The causes aren’t far to hunt as to why Yediyurappa has been pushed to the highest of the social gathering’s election plank. The four-time Chief Minister, who constructed the social gathering from grassroots degree, has a mass enchantment and join — notably among the many politically influential Lingayat group — that no different social gathering chief within the State instructions.
It’s now fairly evident from the BJP’s scheme of issues that the social gathering is eager on leveraging the “Yediyurappa factor” and placing him up because the “poster boy” to reap wealthy electoral dividends.
No lower than the Prime Minister himself had a lavish reward for Yediyurappa in his dwelling district of Shivamogga throughout his public assembly earlier this month.
“Shivamogga is a special land — that when no one knew about us during the Jana Sangh days, when we had no members even at the municipality level — at such a time Yediyurappa ji spent his prime here. This is his ‘Tapobhoomi’,” Modi had stated.
According to some political observers and BJP insiders, the social gathering sought to sideline Yediyurappa within the Assembly elections in May final yr. The BJP was ousted from energy by the Congress and capable of win solely 66 seats within the 224-member Assembly.
Corruption difficulty, consolidation of minority votes behind the Congress and a bit of Lingayats drifting away from the BJP had been seen to be among the many key elements for its defeat.
Vijayendra was appointed as State unit President in November final yr, with the social gathering as soon as once more reposing religion in Yediyurappa.
Yediyurappa’s imprint is clearly seen in number of candidates for Lok Sabha polls, as he obtained tickets to his elder son B Y Raghavendra in Shimoga, and a number of other loyalists together with Shobha Karandlaje in Bangalore North, Gayatri Siddeshwara, spouse of MP G M Siddeshwara, in Davangere, former CM Basavaraj Bommai in Haveri and Govind M Karjol in Chitradurga.
It can be stated that he performed a key position in selecting scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal household Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar for the Mysore seat, changing MP Prathap Simha.
However, Yediyurappa additionally needed to face backlash from plenty of aspirants, who didn’t get the ticket.
Several senior leaders like J C Madhuswamy from Tumakuru, former MLAs M P Renukacharya and S A Ravindranatha from Chitradurga, MP Karadi Sanganna from Koppal, and a few social gathering leaders from Belagavi had overtly expressed their angst towards him for not backing their candidature.
The social gathering additionally confronted dissidence in constituencies like Bidar and Chitradurga amongst others. Veteran social gathering chief Ok S Eshwarappa has revolted and introduced that he’ll contest as an impartial from Shivamogga, the place Raghavendra is the candidate. He has blamed Yediyurappa for his son Ok E Kantesh not getting a ticket from neighbouring Haveri.
Yediyurappa has reached out to disgruntled leaders, personally assembly a few of them.
According to a celebration functionary, “the Yediyurappa issue has been largely useful to the BJP, but it surely has additionally adversely affected at instances. It is sort of a double edged sword. His clout and enchantment throughout the social gathering and amongst voters, particularly the Lingayats, can’t be denied.
At the identical time, this has additionally led to conflicts and rifts throughout the social gathering, amid accusations of nepotism and favoritism.” “Yediyurappa issue clearly means, sturdy management and mass enchantment, however an excessive amount of dependence on it, with deal with Lingayat votes has considerably restricted the social gathering from broadening its social base amongst different communities like Vokkaligas,” he said. “The social gathering has seen its damaging results electorally, because it has by no means been capable of get majority by itself within the state.” Pointing out that Yediyurappa is undisputedly the “chief architect” of BJP in Karnataka, with support of other leaders like Eshwarappa and late H N Ananth Kumar, another party leader said: “controversies and corruption allegations aside, beneath his management, the social gathering has carried out effectively in successive elections and at any time when he’s sidelined, the efficiency has been weak. This could also be within the thoughts of the central management to fall again on him repeatedly.” During the 2023 Assembly polls too, BJP initially tried its greatest to safe Lingayat help with out Yediyurappa, however weren’t very assured about it, and on the later phases it needed to rope within the veteran chief, a celebration chief famous, including that efforts to domesticate help from another communities additionally did bear desired outcomes.
Yediyurappa resigned as Chief Minister on July 26, 2021. Age was cited as a main issue for his exit from the highest job, with an unwritten rule within the BJP of holding out these above 75 years from elected places of work. Also, the BJP central management wished to make means for brand new management forward of the Assembly polls.
Ahead of meeting polls, Yediyurappa introduced retirement from electoral politics.
The BJP had swept the 2019 common elections to Lok Sabha, bagging 25 of the overall 28 seats within the state, whereas an impartial backed by the social gathering had additionally emerged victorious.
