BENGALURU: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda have an immense special concern for me. Nobody has been given the opportunity to work as Chief Minister after the age of 75, but I have been extended that courtesy,” Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa was quoted as saying by Siddalinga Swamy, head seer of the all-important Siddaganga Mutt.
The seer was talking to the media after his meeting with Yediyurappa on Wednesday, the second consecutive day of pontiffs showing solidarity with Yediyurappa, calling on him at his official residence amid the buzz of leadership change.
While the chief minister chose to remain mum on seers meeting him back to back, Siddalinga Swamy said the delegation of various religious chiefs insisted that Yediyurappa should continue as chief minister for the rest of his term. “He did not say anything about his resignation, but we insisted that he continue in the post. He has earned the love of people cutting across communities.
He told us that he will work tirelessly for the party until his last breath,” the seer said. On Tuesday, some 20 seers from various mutts met Yediyurappa and on Wednesday, the number was over 50. Prominent chiefs of religious institutions, like Murugha Mutt’s Sri Shivamurthy Sharanaru, Madara Channayya Mutt seer Sri Basavamurthy Madara Channayya Swamy, Rambhapuri Peetha seer Sri Prasanna Renuka Veerasomeshwar Shivacharya Swami and Siddalinga Swamy, have come out in support of Yediyurappa. Others like Kolada Mutt seer Shanthaveera Swami and Lingayat Panchamasali Peetha Jayamruthyunjaya Swamy have asked for someone from within the community to replace Yediyurappa.
Amid leadership change buzz, BJP high command stays mum
While prominently displaying the support he enjoys from religious seers cutting across caste lines, Yediyurappa on Wednesday appealed to supporters to refrain from protesting in his name. “I am privileged to be a loyal worker of BJP. It is my utmost honour to serve the party with highest standards of ethics & behaviour. I urge everyone to act in accordance with party ethics & not indulge in protests/indiscipline that is disrespectful & embarrassing for the party (sic),” the chief minister tweeted on Wednesday night.
The appeal came at a time his supporters, including seers, said they would gather in Bengaluru to push for his continuation in the top post. Despite the hectic activity around the chief minister’s residence, the party central leadership has not allayed speculation of an imminent leadership change. Their silence has compounded the confidence of a faction in the State BJP unit that has been pushing for a leadership change.
Leaders of the party whose names are doing the rounds as replacement to Yediyurappa, like CT Ravi, Arvind Bellad and Murugesh Nirani, have been inconspicuously making trips outside Karnataka, sparking off speculation that lobbying for the post is underway.
CM’s ANNIVERSARY LUNCH CANCELLED Amidst the buzz surrounding CM Yediyurappa being asked to step down, a lunch meeting scheduled with legislators at a Bengaluru hotel, to mark his two years in office, has been cancelled. However, when asked, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel said he was unaware of the reason behind the cancellation.
THOSE WHO QUIT CONG, JDS WARY At a time when there is confusion in the state over leadership change, political circles are abuzz with speculation about the fate of former Congress and JDS legislators who joined the BJP to help it form the government in 2019. A senior BJP leader, however, said their interests will be protected.