highlights
Assembly elections to be held in Karnataka this year
BJP engaged in persuading former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa
PM Modi had met Yeddyurappa recently
New Delhi: Before the assembly elections in Karnataka (Karnataka Assembly Election 2023), the BJP has started persuading its party leaders. BS Yeddyurappa may not have completed any of his terms, but he still remains indispensable for the BJP. Before the 2023 elections in the state, the BJP knows that the Lingayat vote bank is very important to return to the state. This is the reason why BJP wants to take full advantage of the popularity of BS Yeddyurappa. The BJP is hoping to retain the Lingayat vote bank by silencing its biggest and most influential leader Yeddyurappa.
Lingayats are the largest community in Karnataka and constitute around 17-18 per cent of the state’s voters. 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. Vokkaligas are the second largest community in Karnataka and constitute around 15-16 per cent of the population. Yeddyurappa has a lot of popularity in this area too.
Questions were raised after the Prime Minister’s program
More recently, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Youth Festival event in Hubli on January 12, there was speculation in the media as to why Yeddyurappa was not invited to share the stage. The Karnataka BJP claimed that they were not invited as it was a government function. This shows that all is not well within the state BJP unit. It also became clear that there is an internal protest against the political strongman. There is also a buzz that a section of the BJP is not keen on letting the former chief minister lead the assembly election campaign for 2023.
A fuming Yeddyurappa had given ample indications to the Center several times about being ignored by the state unit. On January 17, on the sidelines of BJP’s national executive meeting, the Prime Minister tried to calm the vitiated atmosphere by meeting Yeddyurappa in Delhi for 15 minutes. The political veteran is said to have talked about the ‘situation’ in Karnataka and also informed PM Modi about Lingayats being upset over the SC/ST reservation promises. A Karnataka BJP leader told Stuffunknown, “Yediyurappa ji also invited the PM to inaugurate the Shivamogga airport next month.”
Why Yeddyurappa is indispensable for the BJP
Yeddyurappa is credited with virtually building the BJP in Karnataka and making the BJP blossom in 2008 by forming a government with a majority. Yeddyurappa, who belongs to a farming family, is also seen as a hero and leader of farmers in the state. There is no other leader in Karnataka BJP who enjoys the kind of respect and admiration Yeddyurappa enjoys till date. But with great power comes the fear of great retribution. Political analysts say that despite staying away from active politics today, Yeddyurappa can have a direct impact on at least 40 seats and about 80 seats indirectly.
Read- Former Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa said on the conspiracy against him in BJP – I have given the party in the state…
Let us tell you that the internal surveys conducted by the BJP indicate that the party is strong on 80-85 seats and will have to fight hard for the elections and this is where Yeddyurappa will once again prove to be the big hitter. The BJP strongman, 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. After which Basavaraj Bommai replaced Yeddyurappa.
BJP is not happy with the performance of CM Bommai
BJP insiders say that the party high command is not happy with the performance of CM Bommai. As the 2023 assembly elections draw near, the BJP’s top leadership has woken up to the harsh reality that Yeddyurappa is still the only big weapon in their armoury. This is the reason why BJP does not want to upset him under any circumstances.
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Tags: assembly elections, BS Yediyurappa, Karnataka, Narendra modi
FIRST PUBLISHED : January 20, 2023, 16:00 IST
