BENGALURU: The appointment of Laxman Savadi, a Lingayat leader from North Karnataka as the Deputy Chief Minister has certainly raised eyebrows in the BJP. Despite losing the 2018 assembly elections, Savadi was chosen in a surprise decision, which stumped most senior leaders in the party.
Now, several leaders in the party are hinting at Savadi being groomed to succeed Lingayat strongman and current Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in the party. At seventy-six, Yediyurappa still remained the only choice for the post of Chief Minister for the BJP high command, in the absence of an alternative or parallel leader.
The respect Yediyurappa commands among the Lingayat community in Karnataka is well known and the party leaders in New Delhi have chosen Savadi for the same purpose, party insiders said.
“When there was so much competition to be inducted into the cabinet, Savadi was not only made a minister, but also raised to the post of Deputy CM. This came as a surprise given that he lost the elections. We were in shock. Such an elevation for someone who couldn’t even become an MLA shows that the central leadership has some plans for him,” said a senior BJP leader who wished to remain unnamed.
Another reason being cited by some arguing against Savadi’s appointment is the 2012 case when he was in the news after a local news channel aired a clip of him watching porn within the Vidhana Soudha during assembly hours. In a week’s time, he had resigned from his post at the time.
“The incident has not been forgotten. We do not know the intentions of the party high command but there must be some reason which is certain to help the party in the coming elections,” another leader pointed out.
According to sources, the Lingayat connection is what provided Savadi with the opportunity. “Party leaders might love him or hate him, but definitely cannot ignore him,” a source within the BJP said.
However, while Savadi might have gotten his big break, it is certain that he will be closely monitored. “They will groom him as a parallel to Yediyurappa keeping the state assembly polls in mind. If he does well in his current post, he is likely to get a better role in the party in the future,” the source pointed out.
The decision also gives the BJP a way to control Umesh Katti and the Jarkiholi brothers in North Karnataka.