K'taka leadership row: BJP yet to act on dissensters

It’s been over a week since state party in-charge Arun Singh visited Karnataka, however, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to take any action against legislators and leaders who made statements against chief minister BS Yediyurappa and his government, people aware of the developments said

It’s been over a week since state party in-charge Arun Singh visited Karnataka, however, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to take any action against legislators and leaders who made statements against chief minister BS Yediyurappa and his government, people aware of the developments said.

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The delay--or refusal--to act against detractors has indicated the possibility that the statements are part of the national leadership’s plans to replace Yediyurappa, they add.

If this is to be believed, then it could mean that simmering dissent is likely to crop up again and likely to plunge the state into another round of political crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic.

R Ashok, senior BJP leader and minister for revenue had said on June 18 that strict action will be taken against all those who issued statements “within a few days”.

Even though Singh had warned against those making statements and even made it clear that Yediyurappa would continue as chief minister, the group of detractors continued to insinuate the possibility of a change in leadership.

“Singh’s visit to Karnataka had nothing to do with leadership change. All party general secretaries were visiting their respective states and so did Singh,” said one BJP legislator, who identifies with the group seeking Yediyurappa’s removal.

“It is only a matter of timing and who (replaces Yediyurappa) is the question,” the legislator said, requesting not to be named.

Though Yediyurappa and legislators who have stood behind the chief minister, have made it clear that there will be no change in leadership, the free hand to the detractors appears to reignite the growing factionalism within the party in the state.

Despite being known--or at least projecting--to be a cadre-based party where leaders are expected to toe the party line, there are several factions at work within the BJP. There are those who side with Yediyurappa, some who want him out, legislators who are part of the old-guard and at least one of the turncoats who defected from the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) in 2019, people aware of the developments said.

The party had issued a notice to Basanagouda Patil (Yatnal), the firebrand BJP legislator from Bijapur City and known critic of Yediyurappa in February, but he continues to make statements against the chief minister and his son, BY Vijayendra. Similarly, AH Vishwanath, one of the 17 legislators who defected to the BJP, has also openly called for Yediyurappa to be replaced.

The likes of CP Yogeshwara, a minister in Yediyurappa’s cabinet, continues to travel to Delhi to convey his concerns to the national leadership.

“I have told you earlier that I will not speak about politics in public and to ensure that it shouldn’t damage my party is why I have shared my pains between four walls. I have shared it with our top leaders from Delhi. I have written my exams, let us wait for results. You (media) also have patience and so shall I,” Yogeshwara said last week.

Political analysts suspect that there are possibilities of talks going on despite the warnings from the national leadership on replacing Yediyurappa.

“It appears as if nothing is settled,” A Narayana, a Bengaluru-based political analyst and faculty at the Azim Premji University told Hindustan Times.

He added that contrary to popular belief, the BJP in Karnataka is a “combination of individual groups” and is not cohesive or coherent.

The crisis in both national parties in Karnataka--BJP and Congress--adds to the already volatile political climate in the southern state.

The Congress too continues to witness the battle between legislature party leader, Siddaramaiah and party president, DK Shivakumar, in a struggle to trump the other in the debate over the next chief ministerial face.

The crisis in both parties has added to the uncertainty over questions of leadership with just two years left for the 2023 assembly elections.

MB Patil, former minister and senior Congress leader on Sunday said that the party has not gone into any elections in Karnataka or other state by projecting any one leader or a chief ministerial candidate. He said that the party will go into the 2023 elections collectively and after it wins will take the opinion of MLAs and then the high command will decide.

“Everyone has a wish to become chief minister and there is nothing wrong in it,” Patil said. “It does not work if people (leaders) call themselves chief ministers. People should want this . We can’t become chief minister if we give self certification,” he added.