The Karnataka BJP is all set to see some major changes in its party organizational structure in view of the major poll debacle and also keeping in view of the 2024 parliamentary elections.
According to sources in the BJP, party’s top brass is expected to meet before the monsoon session in New Delhi and appoint central observers to overlook the transition.”Party president, vice presidents, and secretaries at the state level will be changed very soon. Though there have been several meetings that have taken place at in Bengaluru, this is the first time that the future of state BJP will be discussed after poll results,’’ the source said.
Party seniors including former chief minister and Lingayat strongman B S Yediyurappa are being taken into confidence. `The party is looking at having a Linagayt and a Vokkaliga to occupy the positions of party president and leader of the opposition. There is a thinking that a backward leader should be brought in who is young and has the potential to lead the party in the future,’’ sources said.
While former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai is the leading contender for LOP, R Ashoka and Dr CN Ashwathnarayan, the Vokkliaga faces of the party are also in contention. As far as party president is concerned, BJP national general secretary C T Ravi and Union minister (MOS) Shobha Karandlaje are leading the race to take over the mantle from Nalin Kumar Kateel.
There are also talks of making former energy minister Sunil Kumar, who hails from a backward community as next party president as he enjoys support and has rapport with the RSS. It would be interesting to see how the national leaders utilize BSY’s younger son B Y Viyendra who got elected from the Shikaripur constituency which was held by his father over 40 years.
While the churning process has already begun, internal squabbling has left the party embarrassed. CT Ravi, Mysore MP Pratap Simha, and motor mouth Basvaraj Yatnal have attacked Bommai accusing him of indulging in “Adjustment politics’’ with opposition leaders including Chief Minister Siddaramaia and DCM D K Shivakumar and Bommai too has responded to these allegations and rubbished them.
The party has to soon decide on LOP as the monsoon and budget session will start on July 3rd. As for party presidentship is concerned, there is not much time to lose as parliamentary elections would be held in less than a year. The BJP in 2019 bagged 25 out of 28 segments and this time the stakes are high as the ruling congress will go all out to get maximum seats.