Karnataka BJP state president election likely to be over by first week OF February

Party faces challenges as leaders differ on election versus unanimous selection of president
Senior BJP leaders, including former DCM Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, address a press conference on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s centenary celebrations at Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru on Wednesday
Senior BJP leaders, including former DCM Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, address a press conference on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s centenary celebrations at Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru on WednesdayNagaraja Gadekal , EPS
Updated on
2 min read

BENGALURU: If everything goes well, BJP’s internal election for its state president’s post will be over by the first week of February and it is likely that the person would be elected unopposed. In Karnataka, the state president has always been chosen unanimously without an election. Though the party is on the verge of completing the eligibility process for the election, it is facing many challenges.

As per the eligibility process, the party should have completed 50 per cent of the process for electing presidents at booth, mandal and district level, and the party has till now completed the criteria for district and mandal level. The party’s core committee meeting on Tuesday listed three names from each district for 23 out of 39 districts.

“This qualifies for over 50 per cent of the total posts who are eligible to elect the state president. The list of names has to be cleared by the party high command and it is likely to be done soon. We hope that the state president will be finalised by the first week of February,” a senior BJP leader said on anonymity.

But the election of district presidents is likely to be impacted by internal rifts within the party. It is only getting complicated without the election of the state president yet.

While a large number of BJP MLAs, MLCs and other leaders favour BY Vijayendra continuing as the president, a section of leaders wants an election. Earlier, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka had stated that under BJP party bylaw, the state president can be picked either through election or by unanimous choice. “Union Minister and Karnataka BJP election incharge Shivraj Singh Chouhan will decide,’’ he stated.

In fact, after attending the party meeting on Tuesday with BJP National General Secretary Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, Pon Radhakrishnan and also co-incharge Sudhakar Reddy, many MLAs openly spoke in favour of Vijayendra. But at the same time a group of legislators, led by senior leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, is demanding an election.

The party top leaders are in a dilemma as to how to convince the rebels. Yatnal who is opposing Vijayendra’s name right from the beginning may not agree with party leaders’ suggestion. This is a major challenge for them as they have to intervene and resolve the situation in the next couple of days.

Another senior leader, requesting anonymity, said in Karnataka, BJP state president has always been announced unopposed and no polls were conducted.

“There are certain criteria and not all can vote. The party high command will approve the names and only those can vote. Among MLAs, only 10 per cent can vote. Similarly, among mandal presidents one will be cleared for the state council, and that person will be eligible to vote along with those district presidents whose names are cleared by the party high command. Since it is the first time in Karnataka, we have to wait and watch’’ he added.

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