The highly speculated change in guard in Karnataka has finally drawn its curtains with the BJP at the Centre making it clear that there is no intention of replacing Lingayat strongman B.S. Yediyurappa and bringing in a younger face to lead the government in the run up to the 2023 Assembly elections.
The two-day state executive committee meeting in Shivamogga, the home turf of BSY, went well for camp BSY with BJP Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh making it amply clear that the party was happy with the way the state is being governed by Yediyurappa and that those making statements about changing the CM should refrain from such comments to avoid inviting disciplinary actions.
‘’Whoever it might be, big or small leaders shouldn’t raise doubts over Yediyurappa ji. He is our tallest leader in the state and we have full faith in him. You should all work in tandem to improve administration and strengthen the party and the government. There will be no change in CM,’’ Arun Singh said.
He also said that there will be no cabinet expansion in the near future, sending a strong message to dissident camps that such activities will have no bearing on the decision making of the saffron party.
Sources said Yediyurappa, quoting the pandemic, has bought himself more time from the party›s top brass and promised minimum interference from his family members in the CMO.
“It’s a given that the transition could happen smoothly only if BSY was on board. Top leaders, including the Prime Minister, Home Minister and party president, had discussed the issue threadbare and it was, in fact, Home Minister Amit Shah who nudged the others to give BSY some more time so that they don’t lose out on the goodwill of the Lingayats, who have largely backed the party since 2008. In fact, over half a dozen top leaders who are a part of the government were summoned to Delhi before the executive committee meeting. The feedback from these leaders had a direct bearing on the decision to let BSY continue for some more time,’’ a top source told The Daily Guardian.
BSY, who got a shot in the arm with the decision, immediately called a two-day meeting with all BJP MLAs of Karnataka to listen to their grouses and demands. The meeting, which concluded on Tuesday, had a lot of positive outcomes but also emerged as a platform for a showdown with BSY detractors who brought up the Vijayendra factor on several occasions.
The chief minister met all the MLAs in batches according to the regions that they represent. The main complaints came from the MLAs of Kalyana Karnataka who complained that they were not getting grants for works. BSY pacified them, stating that he is going to take all their feedback and roll out a budget for the year by including programmes and schemes for their respective constituencies.
However, the main opposition came from motor-mouth Basavaraj Yatnal, who is the Vijaypura MLA and a two-time MP. He had been a MoS in the Vajpayee government and has a history of falling out with the party on more than two occasions.
On Monday, even as the state president made it public that a showcause notice was being issued to Yatnal for public comments against BSY, the former used the opportunity in the meeting to attack BSY on the subject of family interference. An upset BSY told Yatnal that the doors of his office and home were always open for him.