Yediyurappa’s resignation in Karnataka: Heads of 5000 Lingayat monasteries in the state said – the decision to remove Yedi is wrong; BJP will have to face the consequences

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has resigned. While the BJP is busy electing a new chief minister after Yedi’s resignation, the heads of the most influential Lingayat monasteries in Karnataka have termed the decision to remove Yedi as wrong. The abbots have warned that the BJP will have to face the consequences. He was removed by the BJP in 2013 due to allegations of corruption against Yedi. As a result, the BJP was reduced to just 40 seats in the assembly.

Sharanbasavalinga, abbot of the famous Lingeshwara temple in Karnataka, said, “The BJP has taken this decision without any thought. Lingayat abbots had demanded that Yeddyurappa be allowed to complete his term, but the BJP seems to have been confused once again. The abbots of all the monasteries of the state will once again meet on this issue. They are being contacted for this. There is every possibility that this meeting will be held on Monday itself.

Big challenge to the Lingayat community
Sharanbasvalinga said that the further strategy will be decided in the meeting of the abbots regarding Yeddyurappa’s resignation. Earlier, on Sunday also all the abbots of the Lingayat community held a meeting. Demanding BS Yeddyurappa to continue as the CM of Karnataka in the meeting, he had warned that if he was removed, there would be a big agitation in the state. However, from yesterday till today, Yediyurappa is talking of accepting the decision of the high command.

Delhi does not know the mood of Karnataka
Sharan Basavalinga, abbot of the famous Lingeshwara temple in Karnataka said that the people of Delhi do not know how elections are held and won in Karnataka. This government has been formed by BS Yediyurappa. So removing him can put the BJP in great trouble.

5 thousand abbots of the state came out in protest
Sharan Basavlinga said, “The abbot here and about 5 crore people are expecting that the BJP high command will take a decision only after considering all these circumstances. If the decision is taken without consideration, then the center will have to face the united protest of 5000 abbots of the state.

Demand to allow Yedi to complete his term
Sharan Basavalinga said that we were not asking for Yeddyurappa to be the Chief Minister for whole life, but for completing this term. We do not accept any other Chief Minister in this tenure. Those who are trying to remove him on the basis of age should know that Yeddyurappa may be older, but his power is just like youth. No leader has the same information as he has up to the booth level here.

Support to BJP because of Yeddyurappa
The Lingayat community has been supporting the BJP since 1990. Sharan Basavalinga said that BJP has our support only because Yeddyurappa belongs to the Lingayat community. On the other hand, the abbot of the Lingayat community of Kottur’s Veerashaiva Shivayoga temple, Sangana Basava Swamy, said that the conspiracy to remove Yeddyurappa is of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Let them remember that Lingayats run in Karnataka, not the Sangh.

Heavy damage was done on the removal of Yedi
The BJP had won the support of the Lingayat community in the 2013 assembly elections with the help of BS Yediyurappa. When the BJP expelled Yeddyurappa from the party over allegations of corruption, the Lingayat community was furious. Yeddyurappa then formed the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP). As a result, the Lingayat vote was divided and the BJP was reduced from 110 seats to 40 seats in the assembly elections.

The vote share of BJP in this election also came down from 33.86% to 19.95%. Yedi’s party got around 10% of the vote. Yediyurappa again returned to the BJP in 2014. It was a miracle that the BJP won 17 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.

Impact on 100 assembly seats in the state
The share of Lingayat community in Karnataka’s population is around 17%. Out of 224 assembly seats in the state, about 90 to 100 seats are dominated by the Lingayat community. At the same time, about half of the state’s population is influenced by the Lingayat community. In such a situation, the road after the removal of Yedi will not be easy for the BJP. Removing him would mean taking the risk of losing the votes of this community.