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Ahead of Amit Shah’s visit: BJP says ready for polls, BSY’s son may enter fray
Additionally, the move — of handing over the event preparations to Vijayendra — seems to be cashing in on the opportunity to subtly position Vijayendra not only as Yediyurappa’s political heir but also a leader of the Lingayat community.
“We are ready for the election,” said senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader B Sriramulu on Sunday, while setting the pitch, ahead of the imminent visit of Union home minister Amit Shah on April 1.
“Last time we did not get a full majority. We got 104-105 and then we got the numbers and came in power. Today, after the elections in the five states — and Congress being rejected across all regions — as per our reports, we will get 170 seats in 2023,” said the Karnataka’s minister for transport.
The statements come a day after the BJP announced that Shah will be the chief guest at the 115th birth anniversary celebrations of (late) Sri Sri Shivakumara Swamy at Sree Siddaganga Matha in Tumakuru on April 1. The entire celebrations are being led by BS Yediyurappa and his son BY Vijayendra, who is the state BJP vice-president.
Shah’s visit is likely to kick off the BJP’s election campaign in Karnataka. Additionally, the move — of handing over the event preparations to Vijayendra — seems to be cashing in on the opportunity to subtly position Vijayendra not only as Yediyurappa’s political heir but also a leader of the Lingayat community, believed to be one of the biggest in Karnataka.
“Amit Shah will need to walk a tight rope with the state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel proving to be below par and Yediyurappa breathing fire to get his son established, politically. With Vijendra being made in-charge of Shah’s, things might get interesting in Karnataka very soon,” political commentator Vishwas Shetty said.
Vijayendra’s ambition to contest the 2023 elections is no secret. “When I will contest and from where will be decided by the party. I am not breaking my head over it. I am just working as the state BJP vice-president,” Vijayendra said on Saturday, unwilling to divulge more on his electoral debut.
Yediyurappa has tried to placate his two sons from the very beginning, with one son (BY Raghavendra) as the member of Parliament from Shivamogga and the other, now looking to make his electoral debut. Vijayendra is also considered one of the biggest reasons for Yediyurappa being forced to step down from the top chair in July last year as several members of the latter’s ministry had made allegations that the former was running a parallel government under the aegis of his father.
Considered a shrewd politician,Vijayendra’s place was cemented in the party after he led the BJP to its first ever victory in Mandya’s KR Pete in December 2019 and later in Tumakuru’s Shira in December 2020. His only loss after being named in-charge was in Maski last year.
Previously, speculations were also rife that Vijayendra would be made the deputy chief minister after Basavaraj Bommai replaced Yediyurappa.
While the BJP attacks the Congress for dynasty politics, the number of family members of existing leaders within the saffron outfit getting a backdoor entry has gone up in recent times.
“Vijayendra will get his chance but not on the account of his father. Whatever Yediyurappa got beyond 2019 was a bonus and now his son can make it in the party but will have to be treated like everybody else,” said a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity. Despite repeated warnings, leaders like Basanagouda Patil (Yatnal), the firebrand BJP legislator from Bijapur (Vijayapura) have continued their tirade against the family-run politics.
“We are going to argue that for one household, only one ticket should be given. If 3-4 tickets given to one house which has an MP, MLA and ZP, then what will workers do,” Yatnal had said earlier this month, taking a dig at Yediyurappa’s family.
Political analysts said that despite Bommai being the chief minister, the BJP has to depend heavily on Yediyurappa to bring back the saffron outfit to power in Karnataka as he continues to be the biggest leader of the party as well as champion of the Lingayat community, a mantle that is likely to be passed on to his second son. But the party is wary about giving the leadership role to Yediyurappa who continues to be denied permission to go on a state-wide tour on his own, ahead of the elections.
