Bengaluru: The BJP The Legislature Party meeting is expected to elect its leader, who will automatically be the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, where the party has 66 members.
Before the meeting, the question going on is whether the party will elect Basavaraj Bommai or will it take a gamble of electing a new face?
keeping upcoming Parliament With the elections in mind, a large section of BJP functionaries is convinced that given his equations with party veteran and former CM BS Yediyurappa, the leader may favor the former chief minister. He said, “The leadership probably does not want to gamble and wants to be upset Yediyurappa There is less than a year left for the parliamentary elections,” said a senior functionary.
However, some believe that the party may take a bold decision of choosing a new face from among the old leaders who have not held the post before. With the saffron party grappling with rampant infighting and camp politics, it is indeed a tough task for the leadership to elect for the top post.
Besides Bommai (Sadar-Lingayat), senior legislators R Ashok (Vokkaliga), Basanagouda Patil Yatnal (Panchamasali-Lingayat), CN Ashwath Narayan (Vokkaliga), in sunil Kumar (Idiga), S. Suresh Kumar (Brahmin), and Arvind ballad (Panchamasali-Lingayat) are contenders for this post.
A senior leader said Bommai would be the obvious choice because of his experience of handling important portfolios like water resources, finance and home. “He is a good debater and has Yeddyurappa’s support. This is important ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” the leader said.
However, many office-bearers believe that if Bommai is elected, the party will be further doomed as he “lacks the leadership skills” to instill confidence among workers and unite the two factions. Bommai has also been accused by a section of politicians of playing “politics of accommodation” as he was earlier part of the Janata Parivar, of which Siddaramaiah was a member.
There are calls within the party to pick a Hindutva face like Yatnal or Sunil Kumar to take on the Congress government, which is expected to reverse several decisions of the previous BJP government, such as banning cow slaughter and Laws regulating religious conversion. Some people are also batting for Suresh Kumar or Belad who have good image and credentials.
The party is said to be mulling over its options as it will play a crucial role in highlighting the failures and missteps of the Congress government and putting it on the back foot at every possible opportunity. The biggest challenge is to find a consensus candidate.
“Cultural persona has been a major factor in politics. Over the past two decades, Yediyurappa has been a larger-than-life personality and the face of the state BJP unit. The party should look for a strong face to lead instead of making temporary arrangements , “Said Vishwas Shettya political commentator.
Before the meeting, the question going on is whether the party will elect Basavaraj Bommai or will it take a gamble of electing a new face?
keeping upcoming Parliament With the elections in mind, a large section of BJP functionaries is convinced that given his equations with party veteran and former CM BS Yediyurappa, the leader may favor the former chief minister. He said, “The leadership probably does not want to gamble and wants to be upset Yediyurappa There is less than a year left for the parliamentary elections,” said a senior functionary.
However, some believe that the party may take a bold decision of choosing a new face from among the old leaders who have not held the post before. With the saffron party grappling with rampant infighting and camp politics, it is indeed a tough task for the leadership to elect for the top post.
Besides Bommai (Sadar-Lingayat), senior legislators R Ashok (Vokkaliga), Basanagouda Patil Yatnal (Panchamasali-Lingayat), CN Ashwath Narayan (Vokkaliga), in sunil Kumar (Idiga), S. Suresh Kumar (Brahmin), and Arvind ballad (Panchamasali-Lingayat) are contenders for this post.
A senior leader said Bommai would be the obvious choice because of his experience of handling important portfolios like water resources, finance and home. “He is a good debater and has Yeddyurappa’s support. This is important ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” the leader said.
However, many office-bearers believe that if Bommai is elected, the party will be further doomed as he “lacks the leadership skills” to instill confidence among workers and unite the two factions. Bommai has also been accused by a section of politicians of playing “politics of accommodation” as he was earlier part of the Janata Parivar, of which Siddaramaiah was a member.
There are calls within the party to pick a Hindutva face like Yatnal or Sunil Kumar to take on the Congress government, which is expected to reverse several decisions of the previous BJP government, such as banning cow slaughter and Laws regulating religious conversion. Some people are also batting for Suresh Kumar or Belad who have good image and credentials.
The party is said to be mulling over its options as it will play a crucial role in highlighting the failures and missteps of the Congress government and putting it on the back foot at every possible opportunity. The biggest challenge is to find a consensus candidate.
“Cultural persona has been a major factor in politics. Over the past two decades, Yediyurappa has been a larger-than-life personality and the face of the state BJP unit. The party should look for a strong face to lead instead of making temporary arrangements , “Said Vishwas Shettya political commentator.