BENGALURU: Senior BJP leader and seven-time MLA R Ashoka was appointed as BJP Legislature Party leader at a meeting here on Friday. The 66-year-old RSS strongman will be the 26th Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly.
Both posts remained vacant after the party’s defeat in the May 10 assembly elections. Giving a clear indication that he was a consensus candidate, Ashoka said he would take into confidence all BJP MLAs, besides 19 JDS MLAs, in the fight against the Congress government.
“I may be the Leader of Opposition. But all 66 party MLAs are our leaders. With JDS being a partner of NDA, its MLAs will also be with us. Eighty-five MLAs in the Opposition is a big number. Under the guidance of BS Yediyurappa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we will expose the corrupt Congress government,” he said.
“The Congress government is mired in corruption. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra’s involvement in the transfer business is the latest case. People are upset. We will win all 28 seats, including the one held by the Congress, in the LS elections,” he said.
Former ministers Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, a rival of Yediyurappa camp, and Ramesh Jarkholi staged a walkout demanding that the post be given to a BJP leader from north Karnataka.
“Na dainyam na palayanam. A warrior cannot complain or regret anything. His life is an endless challenge, and challenges cannot possibly be good or bad. Challenges are simply challenges,” Yatnal posted on ‘X’.
In the presence of 62 MLAs, BJP’s central observers -- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and National General Secretary Dushyanth Kumar Gautham -- announced that Ashoka has been selected unanimously as LoP. Shivaram Hebbar and ST Somashekar, MLAs, did not attend
the meeting.
Vijayendra and I will work as jodettu, aim to win all 28 LS seats, says Ashoka
After appointing Vijayendra, a Veerashaiva-Lingayat, as state unit chief, speculations were rife that the saffron party would select a Vokkaliga or a Backward Classes leader as LOP. But it chose Ashoka, a Vokkaliga, apparently to keep the community vote bank intact in the Old Mysuru region. “A harmless Ashoka was also Yediyurappa’s choice. Ashoka will coordinate smoothly with Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra,” a BJP leader said.
“For both of us, who grew up organizing the party and Sangh Parivar, with no controversies, it is a new responsibility. By toiling as ‘jodettu’ (a pair of bullocks), we together will strive to return the BJP to power in the state. The immediate task ahead is to win 28 LS seats,” Ashoka told reporters. He thanked BJP national president JP Nadda, Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, national general secretary (organization) BL Santhosh, Vijayendra, former CMs BS Yediyurappa, and Basavaraj Bommai, and all MLAs for selecting him as LOP.
Apart from Yatnal, whose chance became bleak after Vijayendra’s appointment, former ministers CN Ashwathnarayan, a Vokkaliga, and Sunil Kumar, an Ediga, were also in the race. The party's high command promised Yatnal to make him Deputy Leader of the Opposition. But he reportedly rejected it. The post may now go to Sunil, according to sources.