Ahead of the 2023 elections in the state, the top leadership of the saffron party realizes that it is the Lingayat heavyweight party’s most powerful arsenal if they want to come back to power and hence, the BJP is seen banking heavily on Is. The popularity and political wisdom of the four-time chief minister.
BJP’s trusted lieutenant
The BJP is hoping to retain the Lingayat vote bank by pacifying Yeddyurappa, the biggest and most influential leader. Lingayats are the largest community in Karnataka and constitute close to 17-18 per cent of the state’s voting population.
Though Lingayats are traditionally BJP voters, this time the party is also trying to woo the vote bank in the old Mysore region, which has a sizeable Vokkaliga population. The Vokkaligas are the second largest community and constitute close to 15-16 per cent of the population.
Yeddyurappa has a lot of popularity in this area as well. Although he is elected from Shikaripura in Shivamogga, he is a native of Mandya district in the old Mysore region.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Youth Festival event in Hubballi on 12 January, the media was abuzz with speculation as to why Yediyurappa was not invited to share the stage.
The Karnataka BJP claimed that he was not invited as it was a government event – indicating that all is not well within the state BJP unit. It also became clear that there is an undercurrent against the political strongman. A section of the BJP is also not too keen on the former chief minister leading the assembly election campaign for 2023.
An incensed Yeddyurappa had given enough indications of being sidelined by the Center and at times ignored by the state unit. The Prime Minister tried to calm ruffled feathers by meeting Yeddyurappa for 15 minutes in Delhi on January 17 on the sidelines of the BJP’s national executive meeting.
The political veteran is said to have talked about the ‘situation’ in Karnataka and also briefed PM Modi about the Lingayats being upset over the SC/ST reservation promises. “Yediyurappa ji also invited the PM to inaugurate the Shivamogga airport next month,” a Karnataka BJP leader told News18.
Yediyurappa, while talking to reporters, also shared how PM Modi stressed the need to take Muslims into confidence. With several flashpoints such as the hijab ban, Halal and anti-CAA agitations, the BJP is wary of alienation in the Muslim community. An internal report given to the BJP high command says that many MLAs who won because of Muslim votes are facing pushback from the community. The party has realized that the communal stand adopted by many leaders has not gone down well with the people of the state.
In this context, Yeddyurappa’s return becomes all the more important as he was seen as fair and balanced during his tenure as well and now he can restore the faith of Muslims in the party.
fire fighting mode
It appears that the national leadership has finally realized that Yediyurappa is their ticket to success and is a match-winner in Karnataka.
Internal surveys conducted by the BJP indicate that the party is strong on 80-85 seats and will be hard-pressed to contest the elections and this is where Yeddyurappa will once again prove to be the big hitter.
The BJP stalwart, who turns 80 this February, was ousted from the chief minister’s chair in July 2021 as per the party’s rule that anyone above the age of 75 has to make way for younger leaders.
Basavaraj Bommai replaced Yeddyurappa. Under Bommai’s rule, the BJP has been giving a tough fight to the ruling party with its ’40 per cent commission’ campaign in opposition and scams in the civil works, education, BDA and police departments. BJP insiders say that the party high command is not happy with Bommai’s performance.
As the 2023 assembly elections draw closer, the BJP’s top leadership has woken up to the harsh reality that Yeddyurappa is still the only big weapon in their armoury.
The main leadership in Delhi tried to make peace by giving him a seat in the parliamentary board of the party. But for Yediyurappa, this was not sufficient atonement for his public humiliation.
Being the shrewd politician that he is, Yediyurappa has been giving hints about his unhappiness, speaking openly in support of the party. For example, he did not attend a party event led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, citing being abroad. In December, he refused to join CM Bommai in a public rally in Koppal district, though he later relented. Both the leaders were to jointly address BJP’s Jan Sankalp Yatra in 50 constituencies.
“The turnout for BSY meetings was really high. Then came the decision that along with state president Kateel ji, he would also campaign. This put the cat among the pigeons,” said a senior BJP leader.
The BJP in Karnataka is now in suspended animation as they wait to see how the tension between Yediyurappa and the high command pans out.
Why Yediyurappa is indispensable for the BJP?
The BJP cannot afford to anger the Lingayat leader. For one, Yediyurappa played a key role in uniting the tightly knit Lingayat community behind the BJP after the Congress sidelined them in the 1990s.
The then Congress President Rajiv Gandhi dropped an ailing Virendra Patil, who was then the Chief Minister of Karnataka, from the airport by writing a letter to the Lingayat leader.
Seen as a drastic move, the Lingayat community largely walked away from the Congress and rallied behind the young and brash Yediyurappa.
Yediyurappa is credited with virtually building the BJP in Karnataka and making the BJP blossom by forming a government with a majority in 2008.
Belonging to a family of farmers, he is also seen as ‘Raita Nayak’ or the leader/friend of the farmers in the state.
There is no other leader in Karnataka BJP the way Yeddyurappa is respected and admired till date.
But with great power also comes the fear of great retribution. Political analysts say that despite retiring from active politics today, Yediyurappa is able to influence at least 40 seats directly and about 80 seats indirectly.
Yediyurappa needs to be actively involved in the processes from candidate selection to election campaigning. If he decides to sit back or, worse, actively hinder the BJP’s chances in the polls, the party will be dealt a death blow.
What will satisfy BSY?
So what will please Yeddyurappa? Sources close to him told News18 that he wanted the promise of the Deputy Chief Minister’s post in exchange for the cooperation of his son BY Vijayendra.
Vijayendra is the Vice President of the Karnataka BJP and cut his teeth in the wilds of politics, leading to crucial bypoll victories in KR Pete (2019) and Sira (2020). Vijayendra himself is popular among the youth and has a massive following across the state.
“Vijayendra is seen as someone who is capable of carrying forward the political legacy of his father. They are getting very good response on the ground as well as youth are joining them. A close confidant of Yeddyurappa said, now all he needs is a win.
The high command is trying to balance Yeddyurappa’s ambitions with the dire need to win Karnataka after the defeat in Himachal Pradesh.
Their nervousness is about how brash and powerful Yediyurappa was before his retirement, with the ability to spy on the leadership. Concerns have now grown over concerns that if Vijayendra’s promotion will lead to a similar culture in the state.
But the message to the BJP high command is clear. Ignore Yediyurappa at your peril. The only southern state ruled by the BJP now hangs in the balance.
read all latest politics news Here