BENGALURU: With the leadership drama coming to an end, along with heartburn and tears, the widely held perception is that the BJP failed to have its way, and that former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has his own man where he wants him.BJP’s central leaders had to settle for Basavaraj Bommai as Chief Minister, knowing full well that he was Yediyurappa’s nominee.
Reliable sources said that Yediyurappa personally intervened in the selection of the new Chief Minister, backed by the community and under pressure from swamijis and leaders. He reportedly swung it in Bommai’s favour as late as Tuesday afternoon.Sources also said that Yediyurappa’s supporters personally telephoned more than 60 legislators on Tuesday, telling them explicitly that if it came to a vote during the LP meeting, they should consider Bommai as first choice. On his part, Yediyurappa kept up the pressure and categorically told the party central leadership that he would only back the candidate of his choice.
In the end, Bommai was chosen over Murugesh Nirani and Jagadish Shettar, simply because he was backed by Yediyurappa, whose intervention ensured that his opponents did not have their way.The BJP leadership’s poor perception management let it down.
It could have opted for a better succession plan, by projecting leaders to help show the party as being ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. While some leaders expected PM Narendra Modi and the central leadership to undercut Yediyurappa, it appears that they played into his hands. In the slog overs, it was clear that the High Command played it safe, and allowed Yediyurappa to have his way.
Political analyst B S Murthy said, “Basavaraj Bommai is nothing but Yediyurappa by proxy, by bringing Yediyurappa’s right hand man in, the BJP now has two power centres, and it is a victory of sorts for Yediyurappa again. They failed to utilise the opportunity for better perception management. A seniormost backward caste leader like KS Eshwarappa, or a Dalit leader like Govind Karjol were not even considered in the list of probables.”