BENGALURU: The victory in 12 assembly seats in the bypolls has given BS Yediyurappa renewed confidence — as a chief minister as well as party leader. With the conviction that his government is now rock-solid and stable, the 76-year-old is finding himself more exuberant, and gearing up to implement not the National Register of Citizens or Citizen Amendment Bill. In an interview with The New Indian Express, Yediyurappa spoke of the challenges that lie ahead, and how he silenced his detractors. Edited excerpts.
BJP has created history by winning KR Pete under your chief ministership. What worked in your favour?
People realised that Karnataka needs a stable government. While Congress and JDS leaders criticised and insisted that our government won’t survive, people felt I had worked in the past four months. Congress was talking of fresh elections, but people decided to give our government stability. It had been my dream for years to have representation in places like KR Pete and Chikkaballapura, but we hadn’t succeeded. This time, I say this not because he is my son, but Vijayendra took it up very seriously. He worked as though he was the candidate. Hassan MLA Preetham Gowda and his team too worked hard, and we won KR Pete with a margin exceeding our expectations. It is a huge achievement.
Were the bypoll results your answer to your detractors within the party and outside?
People have answered. I didn’t have to. I had said that people will respond and they did. In all 15 seats I campaigned in, not once did I hear the names of Congress and JDS candidates, or Siddaramaiah or Kumaraswamy. It was all about us, the work we have done, including in flood-affected areas. Irrespective of caste, people came together. Leaders from Kuruba and Vokkaliga communities have won and we have made headway in places we had no standing before.
How will you tackle the challenge of cabinet expansion, with seniors waiting in line?
Had these 17 MLAs not resigned, I would neither be chief minister nor would our party be in power. All our MLAs and leaders are aware of that. When they contested as our candidates, we promised them that they would be made ministers. We will not backtrack. Our workers will also cooperate because they understand that a stable government will ensure the development of their constituencies. It is a challenge to get them to work with these 11 MLAs but we will face it. National leaders have asked me to visit New Delhi in 10-15 days. I will expand the cabinet once I return.
Do we expect a cabinet expansion or reshuffle? What will be the fate of deputy chief ministers?
It has not been decided. I will first meet party president Amit Shah. We will decide depending on his suggestion.
Are you confident that the new MLAs won’t desert you like they did their parties?
Some of them resigned as MLAs while others resigned as ministers in the Congress-JDS government. Now that they are BJP MLAs, they have to get along with us and we with them. Our leaders don’t have to treat them as outsiders. We are one team.
Is this term as CM different?
All my terms have been a trial by fire. I have always struggled to get a majority. For the first time, after bypoll results, we are breathing easy and can focus on administration. Many Congress and JDS MLAs are approaching us, but we don’t need them anymore. Strengthening the administration in every department is our aim. Ministers have been asked to tour districts while the chief secretary and in-charge secretaries will review development works every 15 days. Women’s safety is a priority and all-night patrolling has been ordered.
Given the delay in GST compensation and slowing economy, how do the state’s finances look?
We are yet to receive our GST compensation but there are no troubles with the state’s finances. We are self-sufficient. We are allocating funds for irrigation, rural development and education. Bengaluru has a lot of aspirations and we are working towards it.
What is your stand on CAB and NRC?
The decision taken by the central government is a historic one. We are bound by it. There is no iota of opposition. We will do everything to implement what the Union government has intended.