BENGALURU: With back-to-back elections coming up -- 25 MLC seats are due to fall vacant, and ZP/TP polls are on the cards -- former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s statewide trip seems to be in limbo, with the party leadership looking to transform it into a BJP roadshow.
The high command, which has already declared Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai as the party’s face for the 2023 assembly polls in Karnataka, is looking to shift Yediyurappa to play second fiddle. But the Akhil Bharatiya Veerashaiva Mahasabha wants to see Yediyurappa’s son and BJP Karnataka vice-president B Y Vijayendra as successor to his father. “We should all prepare the ground to recommend Vijayendra as the next chief minister, as he deserves to hold the top post,” remarked Karnataka Veerashaiva-Lingayat Development Corporation Limited chairperson B S Paramashivaiah.
The plan was proposed and reportedly well received at the Akhil Bharatiya Veerashaiva Mahasabha’s state executive committee meeting held at Ballari on Saturday. It may be noted that Yediyurappa had set up the Corporation when he was chief minister in November 2020, and appointed Paramashivaiah as the first chairperson. Perhaps Yediyurappa knew that his stepping down from the CM’s gaddi was inevitable, and to that effect, took a crucial decision to ensure the community stands by him in future.
Now, the community’s demand to see his son as successor may turn into a headache for the party leadership. In fact, Yediyurappa’s motive of taking up a statewide trip to organise the party as soon as he stepped down in July, could have been to establish Vijayendra as the community’s undisputed leader.
But now, the party high command is also indicating that it has a different plan of action — forthcoming elections will be fought under a collective leadership, but with Bommai leading from the front. The party also plans to organise a state-level convention for backward class leaders, under the leadership of RDPR Minister K S Eshwarappa on November 21, apparently to bestow the responsibility of organising communities.
Bypoll win will boost BJP: Somanna
Davangere: Housing Minister V Somanna, who was the BJP’s in-charge for the Sindagi bypolls, on Sunday said the party will bag the seat as well as Hanagal with a huge margin. “We are gearing up for the 2023 Assembly elections and the victory will boost the confidence of party workers,” he said.
Sait: Minorities support will help Cong win
Mysuru: Expressing confidence of the Congress winning the Hanagal and Sindagi bypolls, Narasimharaja MLA and former minister Tanveer Sait said a major chunk of minorities have stood by the Congress despite the JDS fielding minorities in both the seats.