Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s cabinet expansion Wednesday that saw induction of his own choice of ministers has removed all doubts about his continuity in the CM’s chair — in the immediate future, at least.
For several months, there was speculation that Yediyurappa’s head could roll as the central leadership was unhappy with him. But by inducting seven ministers — a mix of Congress-JD(S) turncoats, and old BJP and Yediyurappa loyalists — in his new cabinet, the CM has laid to rest all such talk.
But BJP leaders said Yediyurappa was safe anyway as the party has no other alternative to him as of now.
BJP national general secretary and in-charge of the party’s Karnataka unit Arun Singh and party’s national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh have made several visits to the state to scout for new talent as well as a popular leader of Yediyurappa’s stature, but in vain, said BJP leaders.
“He (Yediyurappa) is safe. As of now, there is no alternative to Yediyurappa and if at all the BJP wants a leader of his popularity, they will have to groom them and that will take time,” said a senior Karnataka minister, who didn’t want to be named.
Political experts also said the BJP central leadership wouldn’t have taken a decision to change the chief minister in Karnataka at this crucial time when states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala will be going to polls in a few months.
“The central high command would want to send out a message that if they have a chief minister in a BJP-ruled state, they will support him all the way. So with these elections, the central leaders will not touch Yediyurappa,” said political analyst Bhaskar Rao.
“There has been a compromise struck between Yediyurappa and the Centre that he will not indulge in anti-party activities, while the leadership does not exert pressure on his stepping down.”
However, party leaders said Yediyurappa has been lobbying for his son B.Y. Vijayendra, who is currently the vice-president of the Karnataka BJP unit.
The CM has been seeking the central leadership’s nod to give him a ticket in the next assembly elections in 2023. Vijayendra’s name for a ticket was withdrawn at the last minute during the 2018 elections after the high command forced Yediyurappa to do so.
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Keeping his men happy
Senior BJP leaders told ThePrint Yediyurappa has not only consolidated his position as the chief minister, but has also stamped out all possible voices of dissent in the party.
Take, for instance, the induction of CM’s loyalists Umesh Katti and Murugesh Nirani in the cabinet. Both leaders, who have been known to be Yediyurappa’s close aides, were miffed for having been sidelined.
In October last year, a dinner meeting at Katti’s residence was held, which was attended by several senior BJP leaders such as Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel and several BJP MLAs from north Karnataka districts.
A BJP leader, who was part of the meeting, had told ThePrint at the time that one of the issues discussed in the meeting was how to convince Yediyurappa to give more representation to MLAs from north Karnataka in the new cabinet and in the party organisation.
This is where inducting Nirani and Katti is seen as a significant move.
Not only are they senior Lingayat leaders from north Karnataka, they are also successful businessmen who will be able to use money and muscle power to win elections, said Rao.
A senior BJP functionary on condition of anonymity said, “At this time, Yediyurappa needs to win maximum seats. Nirani, Katti, Shettar are popular Lingayat leaders from north Karnataka and are powerful. That will add more energy to Yediyurappa’s election campaign in 2023.”
North Karnataka, dominated by the Lingayat community, has always played a decisive role in BJP’s winning prospects in state elections. Lingayat forms 17 per cent of the state electorate, and CM Yediyurappa belongs to this community.
Attacking Congress vote bank
Inducting influential Vokkaliga leader C.P. Yogeshwar into the cabinet was another important move as not only did the leader help Yediyurappa in poaching MLAs to topple the Congress-JD(S) government in 2018, but he is also seen as someone who can take on Congress’ state president D.K. Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga too.
“In the previous election, the Congress and JD(S) joined hands to defeat Yogeshwar. But now that he has been made a minister, Yogeshwar’s (Vokkaliga) vote bank in and around Channapatna (a JD(S) stronghold), will also grow,” said a second BJP functionary, requesting anonymity.
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