BJP Delays Karnataka State President Announcement Amid Internal Rifts

Bengaluru: While announcing the new BJP State Presidents to the respective State units, the Central BJP leadership is resorting to delay tactics for Karnataka.

Though the incumbent B Y Vijayendra, son of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa is expected to be continued for a second term, the announcement, which was expected a week ago, is being delayed.

On one hand, the BJP central leadership is disgusted with the inefficiency of party senior leaders, who are not opening their mouth about ruling Congress in the State, on the other side, the internal bickering between pro and anti Yeddyurappa camps is continuing unabated.

As a matter of fact, the BJP in Karnataka was built on a weak foundation. The party, which always got around 44 seats, found a meteoric rise after former minister Late Sushma Swaraj contested Ballari Parliamentary seat election against Sonia Gandhi. The BJP received support from people like G Janardhan Reddy and B Sriramulu, who turned out to be part of mining mafia. Back in Bengaluru, those who entered the party were part of the real estate mafia. Consequently, BJP won 84 seats, along with its allies JD(U) and came close to capturing power.

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After coming to power in 2008, BJP resorted to horse trading to get the magical numbers by purchasing MLAs from other political parties. In the process, the party old timers, who rose to rank from cadre base also got corrupt. Many of the BJP ministers, including Yeddyurappa went to jail on corruption charges. Today, none of the BJP senior leaders are in a position to talk about either corruption or inefficiency of the ruling Congress, as they have left behind bigger tracks of corruption and inefficiency during their ruling.

Though Yeddyurappa has been unquestionable leader and strong Lingayat community leader, the party cadre miffed his attempts to have his dynasty rule in the party. While his younger son Raghavendra is MP from Shivamogga, his son Vijayendra is MLA and party President.

This has created a banner of revolt within the Lingayat community also. Yeddyurappa supporters like Renukacharya ensured defeat of party official candidate Gayathri Siddeshwar and worked for victory of Congress candidate Dr Prabha Mallikarjun. There were efforts by Yeddyurappa supporters to defeat Union Minister V Somanna at Tumkur also, but he scraped through.

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Now, many Lingayat leaders like Somanna, Siddeshwar, A S Ravindranath, Aravind Bellad, along with other community leaders like Kumar Bangarappa are opposing a second term for Vijayendra. Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa managed to get powerful Lingayat leader and his detractor Basannagouda Patil Yatnal and former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa expelled from the party for six years for working against him.

Though the party central leadership wants to set right the party cadre in Karnataka, they are left with few choices. At the moment, the party is planning to continue Vijayendra for the second term, but assessing the situation before announcing it.