Karnataka: Why BJP has handed over reins of state unit to Yediyurappa's son Vijayendra

BJP, the party with a difference that boasts of fighting against dynastic politics, has done the opposite in Karnataka by appointing former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra as the president of the party’s state unit.

The move has also underlined the importance of BS Yediyurappa, a prominent Lingayat leader, in the BJP which had to virtually bow before him to save the party in Karnataka. It’s a known fact that Yediyurappa was the one who helped the party not only make inroads into the southern parts of the country but also form its government in Karnataka. He became the chief minister four times before he was asked to quit in 2021 apparently due to the age factor and intense lobbying against him in Delhi by BJP general secretary BL Santosh. It was one of the key reasons for the party losing power in the state. Moreover, Yediyurappa’s silence also took a toll on the party’s poll prospects in the assembly elections that witnessed the return of Congress to power in Karnataka.

Banking on Yediyurappa

Congress led by Siddaramaiah won the 2023 assembly elections with a thumping majority. Riding high after unveiling the guarantee schemes, the ruling Congress is now eyeing major gains in next year’s Lok Sabha elections. Worried, the BJP, which has been reeling under a leadership crisis both in the party unit as well as the state assembly, has now understood the significance of BS Yediyurappa and thus appointed his son Vijayendra as the state BJP president. The BJP now hopes that like his father, Vijayendra can provide it a charismatic leadership in Karnataka.

Under fire for allegedly neglecting its Karnataka unit by not appointing the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly and also the state party president, the BJP has finally made a politically good move by opting for Yediyurappa's son to head its state unit. In a way, it has given a green signal to the state unit to select the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly.

Vijayendra seems to have hit the ground running as he issued a statement, saying the challenge before him now is the next Lok Sabha elections and he aims to take everyone along to ensure the party’s success. “I haven’t been chosen for the job because I’m Yeddyurappa’s son. However, I will work under the guidance of my father and other senior party leaders,” he said. “We have already held deliberations with the national president and we will organise a legislative party meeting next Friday to choose the Leader of Opposition after taking the opinion of all our MLAs,” he added.

Eye on Lingayat votes

Vijayendra Yediyurappa has also been given the opportunity to lead the party with an aim to retain the Lingayat support, which has been with the BJP due to his father’s clout but appears to have frittered away after BSY stepped down from the CM’s post in 2021.

BJP’s belief that the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would help the party retain power even in the states proved wrong in Karnataka. The party high command now clearly wants the state unit to be rejuvenated by giving preference to a young Lingayat leader in the form of Vijayendra.

It is also aware of how critical is Karnataka in the Lok Sabha elections and would like to retain 25 out of the 28 Lok Sabha seats that it won in the 2019 general elections.

As per the 2023 assembly election data, the Lingayat community, which threw its weight behind the BJP during the 2018 assembly elections, has again turned to the Congress because of various issues, including the way the party treated Yediyurappa. Besides, subsects like Panchamasalis were up in arms against the previous BJP government over the alleged denial of backward class status.

Challenges galore

Now the challenge before Vijayendra is to bring back the Lingayat votes to the BJP, quell the resentment brewing in the party and prepare the state unit for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

He will also have to tactfully deal with senior party leaders in the party, who are opposed to his father, including MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, former general secretary CT Ravi, and former minister V Somanna. Apart from them, there are a host of senior leaders like KS Eshwarappa, Dr CN Ashwatha Narayana, R Ashok and others. The reorganisation of the party and also gaining the trust of key Lingayat leaders in the party will also be a tough ask for him.

Another daunting task for him will be handling and leading the BJP’s alliance with the JDS led by former CM HD Kumaraswamy who once ditched his father by not making him the chief minister in the coalition government in 2007. He will also have to work to stop a possible exodus of several BJP leaders who are planning to join Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.

Political journey

Though Vijayendra has been involved in party organisation in Karnataka for many years, he has now emerged from his father’s shadow with the BJP entrusting him with the responsibility of reviving the party’s flagging fortunes in the southern state.

He was elected to the Karnataka assembly this time after winning the election from Shikaripura constituency, which was represented by BS Yeddyurappa since 1983. His elder brother BY Raghavendra is an MP from the Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency. Vijayendra has previously served as general secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha, Karnataka Unit.

Being a law graduate, he practised law for some time. During his college days, he also handled organisational responsibilities as an activist of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). In 2020, he was appointed as the vice-president of BJP’s Karnataka unit. During the recently concluded Karnataka assembly elections, he was also a member of the 25-member election campaign committee. In the May 2018 assembly elections in Karnataka, he was denied the opportunity to contest from the Varuna assembly segment, the pocket borough of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

A political strategist like Yediyurappa Senior, Vijayendra was working closely with his father all through the latter’s political journey since 2005 when he became the chief minister. Vijayendra played a critical role during ‘Operation Lotus’ in poaching 17 MLAs from Congress and JDS to form the BJP government in 2019 by toppling the JDS-Congress coalition government.

Brain behind scams?

Vijayendra is often accused of being the brain behind his father’s scams, including the de-notification of lands, which forced Yediyurappa to quit the CM’s post in 2011 after he was charged with corruption cases by the Lokayukta. BS Yediyurappa was arrested and sent to jail in the case. BJP leader Yatnal and others openly spoke up against Vijayendra several times. BS Yediyurappa’s political opponents said that Vijayendra was behind every move of his father when he was the CM, virtually acting as a “shadow CM”.

Vijayendra’s strategies and mobilisation of resources were said to be the major reason behind several bypoll victories of the BJP in the state. He is credited with playing a major role in the BJP’s first victory in KR Pete and Sira assembly constituencies in 2019 and 2020 bypolls in the Old Mysuru region. He is gradually becoming the influential leader of the Lingayat community with the support of his father and Lingayat seers of various Muts in the state.

With the training from a seasoned politician like his father, he has gained a hold in party politics. His political statements are seen as mature and he ensures that he never crosses the limits. The central BJP leadership is also impressed with the way he handles his opponents. Though the party has given him a huge responsibility, only time will tell whether he will be able to fill his illustrious father’s boots.