Karnataka: CT Ravi ‘haunted by questions’ over Vijayendra’s appointment

Senior Karnataka BJP leader CT Ravi on Saturday (November 11) tried to dodge questions on BS Yediyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra being appointed as the party’s state unit president, but admitted cryptically that he, too, was “haunted by questions”.

The saffron party, which has attacked the main Opposition Congress many a time over its “dynasty politics”, is facing the same criticism after the move. The BJP appointed Vijayendra, younger son of the party veteran Yediyurappa, as its state unit president on Friday. He was the party’s state vice-president earlier.

The names of Ravi, who has in the past served as the BJP’s national general secretary, and Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, were earlier doing the rounds for the post.

“Not upset”

“I have conveyed my congratulations to Vijayendra. This is not power; this is a responsibility. This responsibility is not something that is taken by asking for it...I’m not an aspirant for any post, and in the last two and a half decades, I have not asked for any post, but have fulfilled the responsibility given to me by the party,” Ravi said in response to a question about him being upset.

He added, “When I have not asked for the post, there is no question of being upset or disgruntled.”

The party has given the responsibility to Vijayendra to strengthen the organisation and ensure good results in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and other elections in the future, he said, adding, “I wish him the best and we will all work together in this direction.”

The appointment of 47-year-old Vijayendra — who is a first-time MLA, from Shikaripura in Shivamogga district — just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls is significant, as the new president will have the responsibility of galvanising the party after the drubbing in the May Assembly polls.

“I, too, have questions”

To a question on Vijayendra's appointment being seen as “dynasty politics”, against which he and PM Narendra Modi have repeatedly spoken in the past, Ravi said, “If I speak anything about this, there are chances of attaching a wrong meaning to it. You (the media) will show my earlier video, and you may connect it to different things. I don’t want to comment on it in this situation. It is haunting me in the form of questions in the same way it is haunting you. It is a question that I too have.”

He added cryptically, “There are certain questions that are haunting me too, as we (in BJP) have grown in a certain mould...I have never thought against party interest and will never do it...If I say something, it will become hot news for you. I have never tried to hurt feelings when the celebrations are on.”

Asked if the BJP now had the moral authority to criticise the Congress for dynasty politics after this appointment, he said, “It will not be appropriate to discuss the questions in the minds of a karyakarta like me in public.”

“Personal politics after LS polls”

Stating that he would work as a partyman in ensuring the Modi-led government returns to power once again, and there is no question of getting disturbed from it, Ravi said, “Regarding my personal politics, I’m not a sanyasi. Personal politics is after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls; until then, it is politics of national interest, aimed at bringing back the Modi government.”

Asked about loyal party workers not being considered for the post of party president, he said it is up to the party to decide who is right for which post and should be appointed at what time, and it should not be discussed in front of the media.

Though there are some murmurs in the state BJP circles that some seniors in the party are upset about Vijayendra’s appointment as the state unit chief, none have come out and made their disgruntlement public.

Senior legislators like Basangouda Patil Yatnal and V Somanna, who have been at loggerheads with Yediyurappa in the past, too, have not made any comments regarding the appointment. However, some media reports have stated that both leaders have congratulated Vijayendra over the phone.

(With agency inputs)