BENGALURU: With Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s New Delhi visit sparking speculation of a possible leadership change, BJP leaders and his cabinet ministers strongly brushed aside any such talk. Yediyurappa himself said that such a question does not arise, while responding to a question from a mediaperson on Friday, during an informal interaction at Karnataka Bhavan.Yediyurappa told the media that he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the development of Bengaluru, and the PM had suggested the name of a bureaucrat who had done extraordinary work in transforming Ahmedabad. The PM also enquired after Yediyurappa’s health and urged him to take good care of himself, and at no time during their exchange did any talk of leadership change arise, he said.
Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar, too, brushed aside reports of a change in guard in the state. He told reporters it was a creation of media as the issue was not discussed in the party or at any other forum. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar maintained that the CM will complete his term in office.
A very senior leader within the party, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that under the circumstances, there can be no change. “Yediyurappa cannot be changed unless a formidable leader from North Karnataka, and especially from the Lingayat community, emerges. Since there is no such leader, that question does not arise. There is no change in leadership as of now but no one knows what the future holds.’’
Considering the pandemic and serious challenges the nation is facing, it may not be prudent to go in for a change in leadership, and the PM, Home Minister Amit Shah and the central leadership will not attempt it till things stabilise, so there is no question of leadership change, the leader added.BJP general secretary Ravi Kumar said, “Talk of any leadership change is baseless. The state government is running smoothly. Yediyurappa is a mass leader and has proved it by winning 12 of 15 seats in the bypolls. Karnataka has dealt with flood and Covid better than other states, why will they change him?’’