Loss of Lingayat votes puts Karnataka BJP chief Vijayendra on shaky ground

The Lok Sabha election results in Karnataka seem to have left the state chiefs of both the major national parties on shaky ground. While it was believed that the Vokkaligas would back the Congress and the Lingayats would stand firmly behind the BJP, that did not happen. The results suggested that the communities prioritised individual candidates over the party and community.

Hence, while Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar seems to be in a spot following the party’s poor performance in the Vokkaliga-dominated old Mysuru region and his brother DK Suresh’s defeat in the Bengaluru Rural seat, state BJP president BY Vijayendra is facing the heat over the saffron party’s poor show in the Lingayat-dominated North Karnataka region.

Vijayendra's failure

Vijayendra, son of former chief minister and Lingayat leader BS Yediyurappa, was given the task of heading the party in the state to garner the support of the community in the general elections following the party’s dismal performance in the state election in May 2023 in the Lingayat-dominated north and central Karnataka.

However, that did not happen. Now, a section of BJP legislators is reportedly baying for his blood. Harihar MLA BP Harish has squarely blamed Vijayendra for the party’s underwhelming performance in the polls.

Lower-than-expected results

It is not that the BJP performed dismally. It bagged 19 of the 28 seats, leaving only nine for the Congress and two for its ally JD(S). However, the BJP was confident of securing 20-plus seats on its own, which did not happen, a senior BJP leader told The Federal.

Therefore, for this lower-than-expected performance, party National General Secretary BL Santosh and others have reportedly held Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashok and Vijayendra responsible.

The party high command is learnt to have got upset with R Ashok for not playing a pro-active role in the Lok Sabha polls. “Amit Shah is convinced that though the BJP could garner maximum seats in the Vokkaliga-dominated regions, it was not because of the efforts of R Ashok, but because of the transfer of JD(S) votes,” said a senior Vokkaliga leader of BJP.

Vijayendra taken to task

According to another party functionary, BJP leader Amit Shah summoned Vijayendra to Delhi and took him to task. Shah is learnt to have referred to the defeat of Gayathri Siddeshwar in Davanagere and held the rebellion by Yediyurappa’s supporters for the outcome.

Shah was apparently also displeased with Yediyurappa’s followers refusing to work for the victory of V Somanna in Tumkur. Shah reportedly told Vijayendra that Somanna’s victory did not come due to the BJP’s efforts but due to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) support and the transfer of JD(S) votes, thanks to the coalition.

Notably, both Yediyurappa and Vijayendra had opposed Somanna’s candidature from Tumkur, as he had opposed Vijayendra’s elevation to the post of party president. “The party high command not only supported Somanna’s candidature but made him the Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti,” noted a BJP leader.

Kalyana Karnataka loss

Harish also said that it was unacceptable for the BJP to lose Davanagere, which has been a party bastion. Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who had dubbed the party “KJP-2” when Vijayendra was made the chief of the Karnataka unit (referring to the KJP party formed by Yediyurappa when he had briefly left BJP), was also critical of the party’s defeat in the Kalyana Karnataka region.

“The BJP high command is particularly irritated by the loss of five seats in Kalyana Karnataka. The party had reposed its faith in the dominant Lingayat community, which is believed to be the “backbone” of Karnataka. But they dashed the party’s hopes. This outcome indicates that the BJP is losing its hold on the community, even after accommodating Vijayendra as the party chief,” said another senior leader.

According to sources, the BJP state core committee and executive committee are expected to meet on July 6, where the issue of change in leadership of the state unit will be discussed. However, despite mounting pressure on the party high command, Shah reportedly does not want to take corrective measures. Instead, he has asked the discontented legislators to take the Karnataka Congress government head on, on issues such as Valmiki Corporation scam and hike in fuel prices.