B.S. Yediyurappa back in action at BJP office, expelled MLA B.P. Yatnal fumes

At 82, former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa is back in action to set the House in order. 

The veteran who led the saffron party in the state for the first time in 2008, had retired from electoral politics in 2023—after stepping down as the chief minister in July 2021 at the behest of the BJP central leadership—to pave the way for “new leadership” in the state.

The Lingayat strongman was replaced by Basavaraj Bommai (a fellow Lingayat) to placate the politically dominant Lingayat community: the traditional votebank of the BJP. 

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After the 2023 Assembly debacle, the saffron party chose B.Y. Vijayendra, Yediyurappa's younger son, to succeed Nalin Kumar Kateel as the state party president, amid strong opposition from senior leaders and other aspirants to the post.

Vijayendra, a law graduate and a first-time MLA from Shikaripura in Shivamogga (a seat previously held by his father) has been facing stiff resistance from the rebel faction led by now-expelled Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, a vocal critic of Yediyurappa.

Dissent continues to brew in the Karnataka BJP with the rebel faction demanding the removal of Vijayendra.

Last week, when Union Home minister Amit Shah visited Bengaluru and held a closed door meeting with Vijayendra, LOP R Ashok, and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, the rebel leaders held a separate meeting at former union minister G.M. Siddeshwar’s residence, with a view to send out a strong message to the party leadership, in order to replace Vijayendra in the upcoming state president elections in October-November.

Rebel leaders have alleged that Vijayendra’s “adjustment” with ruling Congress leaders is weakening the party and have demanded that the party reward the loyalists and pick a leader who could lead the party in 2028 Assembly polls, as well as in the taluk and zilla panchayat polls before that. 

While insiders claim that the party leadership is now open to replace Vijayendra, there is no dearth of senior leaders who fear that Vijayendra might stake claim to the top post if and when the party wrests power in the state.

The party leadership is wary of removing Vijayendra as it has paid a heavy price for “sidelining” the veteran and lost the support of the dominant Lingayat community in the 2023 Assembly polls. 

This time, the party might replace Vijayendra with another Lingayat leader mindful of the backlash by the community or rope in a SC, ST or OBC leader to counter the ruling Congress and Siddaramaiah who holds sway among the ‘Ahinda’ voters.

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The party high command is seeking an early resolution to the leadership tussle as it is already affecting the saffron party’s role as the principal opposition, and also affected the morale of the cadres. 

The party lacks coordination (LOPs and the state president are not on the same page) and the ruling Congress is going unchallenged, despite its slew of corruption charges and scams, rue BJP insiders.

Following the expulsion of senior leaders Yatnal, Shivaram Hebbar and S.T. Somashekhar for “anti-party” activities, the party is striving hard to align leaders with the party ideology. 

The training session by RSS functionaries to impart a lesson or two on ethics and party ideals is just one of the many measures to unite the party.

Hinting at a possible change of guard, Vijayendra told reporters that the party would soon decide who should be its president. 

“I have worked as a party worker and fulfilled my responsibilities as the party president in the last 15 months. I have also apprised the central leadership about the current situation in the state. They will soon take a call,” said Vijayendra, adding that the party leadership had advised state leaders to stay united—as only a party that was united could command the respect of people and the party workers.

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Meanwhile, expelled leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal mocked Yediyurappa for still taking interest in the party affairs.

Yediyurappa, who had met Amit Shah during his visit to the state capital, had also attended a series of meetings at the BJP headquarters in Bengaluru. 

Amid Union Minister Pralhad Joshi's efforts to broker peace between the feuding factions, Yediyurappa announced that he would visit the BJP office every day to lend an ear to the grievances of the party leaders and party workers. 

He also suggested that he would “talk” to the disgruntled leaders, besides announcing his statewide tour to interact with the party workers in the districts, to explain about the ruling Congress’ failures and the scams.

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“The Congress government is indulging in rampant corruption and has stalled all development in the state. It is operating like Tuglaq Darbar. BJP is not against the minorities, but Congress excessively appeasing the minorities while neglecting the SC and ST is an unforgivable crime.  Like B.R. Patil said: no work gets done without paying a bribe," said Yediyurappa. 

Yatnal alleged that Vijayendra, who is incapable of running the party, had given a GPA (general power of attorney) to his “revered father” to lead the party and make decisions.

“In his (Yediyurappa’s) advanced age, he is forced to come to the party office daily to hold meetings and consultations. The statewide tour that should have been embarked on by the state president is being carried out by his father. It is unfortunate that someone who is not invited to the Parliamentary Board meetings is now leading a national party (in Karnataka). It is a truth that can no longer be hidden: state BJP is functioning by instructions from the revered father,” Yatnal said, in his X post. 

India