The BJP appears to be hitting back by making its veteran yachtsman BS Yediyurappa a key poll mascot alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi as it ramps up the campaign in electoral Karnataka.
The eighty-year-old veteran, who has already announced his retirement from electoral politics, is being sought by the central leaders of the ruling party to be installed in the post.
The reasons why Yediyurappa has been pushed to the helm of the campaign are not far to seek. The four-time chief minister, who built the party from the grassroots, has a mass appeal and connect – especially with the politically influential Lingayat community – That no other party leader has command in the state.
It is now clear from the BJP campaign that the party is banking on the “Yeddyurappa factor” and projecting him as a “poster boy” to leverage his influence.
Central leadership of BJP – Prime Minister Narendra Modi And Union home minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda and defense minister Rajnath Singh – have been lavish in their praise for Yeddyurappa during their public meetings in the state in recent days.
It’s not often that someone else hogs the limelight at a PM’s event, but on one such occasion, at a public meeting in Shivamogga on February 27, Modi himself seemed to be giving his “pride of place” to the Karnataka BJP stalwart Are. Karmabhoomi”.
Addressing a recent public meeting at the inauguration of the Shivamogga airport to mark Yediyurappa’s 80th birthday, Modi termed his contribution to public life as “inspirational”. The PM greeted him on stage as he appealed to the people attending the public meeting to flash the lights of their mobile phones in honor of Yediyurappa and received an enthusiastic response from the large gathering.
Then, as soon as the Lingayat Bahubali finished his speech, Modi stood up and applauded him. The PM has repeatedly made it a point to highlight the last speech delivered by Yediyurappa in the Karnataka Assembly recently, and said it was an inspiration to every person in public life.
Amit Shah had also recently urged the people to repose faith in Modi and Yeddyurappa in a public meeting and bring the BJP back to power in the state.
Similar comments have been made by Nadda and Rajnath Singh, who were recently in the state for campaigning.
According to some political observers and BJP insiders, the party’s move to project Yediyurappa is aimed at reducing anti-incumbency, retaining the Lingayat vote-base and countering the opposition Congress, which has launched a series of corruption complaints against the government. Allegations have been made.
Political analyst A. Narayan of Azim Premji University said that the BJP was initially preparing to contest the election without Yeddyurappa in an active role, but “since there was not much for the party to rely on at the local level, it was necessary for him to re-elect him”. It was inevitable to prepare and present.” ,
Which is why they are going out of their way to prove that he didn’t anger her by asking her to resign as chief minister in 2021.
“They (BJP) tried their best to get Lingayat support without Yediyurappa, but they are not very sure about it, that is why they are doing it. They could afford to lose some Lingayat support if they were sure of getting support from some other communities, of which they also don’t seem very sure,” Narayan said.
Yeddyurappa resigned from the post of Chief Minister on July 26, 2021. Age was seen as a primary factor in exiting the top job, with the BJP having an unwritten rule to keep people above 75 out of elected offices. Also, the central leadership of the BJP wanted to make way for a new leadership ahead of the assembly elections.
Unlike the 2018 election campaign, when Yeddyurappa was the CM candidate and the face of the party, this time the BJP has opted for a collective approach, though initially it tried to project the leadership of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Narayan said: “The BJP tried to woo the Lingayats through Bommai, but with discontent brewing over issues like reservation, they do not seem confident of achieving this. “Also as long as Yeddyurappa is there and as long as he is an unhappy man, it is not possible for any other Lingayat leader to get Lingayat support”, he said, apparently one of the reasons why BJP wants Yeddyurappa Keep in good spirits.
According to election observers and some in the BJP, with the party now putting Yediyurappa at the forefront of the campaign, Bommai’s stake appears to be waning, even as a section within the party sees him as a candidate for pro-people schemes, SC/ST/OBC candidates, etc. Gives credit for the increase in reservation for STs. And to present an all-inclusive budget.
According to another party functionary, retaining the Lingayat vote base, despite Yediyurappa not being its CM face, is crucial for the BJP to win the election with an absolute majority, and that is why the party wants to reassure the dominant community. , that he is still relevant to it.
He pointed to the discontent among a section of the Lingayat community, particularly ‘Panchamasali Lingayats’, on the issue of reservation and said it could pose a threat, and needed to be curtailed immediately.
“It must be effectively pointed out that Yeddyurappa, despite being a member of BJP’s top parliamentary board, is still the face or mascot of the party in Karnataka,” he said.
BJP state general secretary N Ravi Kumar said Yeddyurappa is a mass leader in Karnataka and he is the person who built and nurtured the party in the state.
“He is a four-time CM and twice leader of the opposition, he knows every nook and corner of the state, he is a leader of all communities including Lingayats and is respected by all sections of people. He is naturally projected as a face, what’s wrong?” asked Ravi Kumar.
“There may be some degree of anti-incumbency, I am not ruling it out completely, all governments will have it, but Bommai has given a good budget and good programmes…It is the contribution of the Congress,” he said. Yes, why not. He used to speak positively about Yeddyurappa till now and is doing so now? This is because the strategy of the Congress is to attract positive public opinion about Yediyurappa to its side.”
Yediyurappa, on his part, had recently appealed to the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community to continue their support to the ruling BJP in the upcoming assembly elections and ensure its victory in the state.
The statement comes amid efforts by the opposition Congress and JD(S) to suggest that Yediyurappa is being sidelined by the BJP after he tried to woo the numerically and politically dominant community.
Veerashaiva-Lingayats are estimated to constitute around 17 per cent of the state’s population, and they form a strong vote base of the BJP. Yeddyurappa is considered the “tallest” Veerashaiva-Lingayat leader and continues to hold sway over the community.
In return, the former chief minister appears to be trying to secure the political future of his sons.
Announcing that he would not contest the assembly elections, Yediyurappa had in the same breath said that he would vacate his Shikaripura assembly seat, from where his younger son and party’s state vice-president BY Vijayendra would contest, if the high command agreed.
Yediyurappa, soon after stepping down as CM in 2021, wanted to make Vijayendra a minister through the MLC route, but did not succeed in his efforts. His elder son, BY Raghavendra is the MP from Shivamogga.
read all latest politics news Here
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)