Yediyurappa gets a stick against Karnataka BJP dissidents as Amit Shah gives him ‘free hand’

During his trip to Karnataka this past weekend, Amit Shah hailed CM Yediyurappa’s governance, which was seen as an effort to silence the CM’s bitter critics.

Karnataka CM B.S. Yediyurappa welcomes Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the latter's two-day visit to the state (16-17 January 2021) | ANI

Bengaluru: When Union Home Minister Amit Shah openly told Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa that he has a free hand in governance, it was seen as a message to dissidents in the state’s BJP unit. 

Speaking to ThePrint, sources in the BJP and Yediyurappa’s close circle said Shah’s words meant Yediyurappa has now been entrusted with controlling growing dissidence in the party and taking strict action against those who indulge in anti-party activities.  

In doing so, the party’s central brass gave Yediyurappa a breather from the pressure being exerted by rebel MLAs to be inducted into the state cabinet, they added.

Yediyurappa had been facing a public rebellion from BJP MLAs since he expanded his cabinet earlier this month. The dissidents had earlier claimed some of Yediyurappa’s choices were driven by “blackmail” — citing a mysterious “sleaze CD” — and said they would raise the issue with Shah during his visit to the state.

For Yediyurappa, this was just the latest episode of facing dissidence from members of the party’s Karnataka unit. Over the past few months, he is believed to have faced the ire of many party colleagues over different matters, including the induction of rebel Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs who helped bring down the erstwhile H.D. Kumaraswamy government, and the growing clout of his son, B.Y. Vijayendra, a state vice-president of the BJP.

Batting for Yediyurappa

During his trip to the state this past weekend, Shah hailed Yediyurappa’s governance, which was seen as an effort to silence the CM’s bitter critics. 

At two public events, Shah repeatedly mentioned Yediyurappa praising his governance. “The double engines of Narendra Modi and Yediyurappa will drive Karnataka on the superfast highway of progress and prosperity,” he said at the Jan Sevak rally in Belagavi Sunday. 

Crediting the efforts of Yediyurappa and state BJP chief Nalinkumar Kateel, the Union minister also congratulated the state unit for the party’s “impressive” victory at the gram panchayat polls, whose results were announced last month. 

“You have been given a free hand in governance. Ensure that you take the party along and address concerns that have been raised,” Shah said at Belagavi.

“With Modi at the Centre and Yediyurappa in the state, Karnataka has a double engine driving its growth and development on all the fronts. With political stability, the state is set for progress in the coming years,” he added, speaking in Hindi.

At a core committee meeting of the party, it is learnt, Shah said there would be no possibility of changing the CM in the near future. 

An elated Yediyurappa subsequently made a public pledge that the BJP, under Shah’s leadership, will come back to power in the 2023 assembly polls with more than 150 of the 224 state’s seats.

“We will form the government on our own strength without depending on anyone,” he said. 

Shah, a BJP functionary said, had also warned Yediyurappa to ensure the party’s image is not marred as some of the leaders have been using media to accuse and criticise it. 

“He also told the CM that the issues of the state should be resolved by the state leadership and there is no need to come to Delhi for every small issue of discontentment,” the functionary added. 

Talking about Shah’s message, a close associate of the CM said Yediyurappa has managed to silence critics and plans to crack the whip on those “who speak without evidence”.

Political analyst Sandeep Shastri, however, said Shah’s statement about a free hand for Yediyurappa “should be understood in context”. 

“He feels like the BJP high command has given him this freedom after having choked him for a long time. Ever since he became the chief minister, he has hardly had any manoeuvrability,” he added.

“I would view BSY’s term this time as one of his weakest. It would be interesting to see what constitutes a free hand from now on. The party seniors want to ensure stability for now and that is why such statements are being made,” he added. “This could also be a move to quell the talk of change of leadership for now.”