With Deve Gowda faux pas, Ashwath Narayan ruins BJP’s Vokkaliga gameplan

The Karnataka BJP’s attempts to develop a strong Vokkaliga leader from within the party has so far come to naught. Its efforts to develop popular leaders from the community are particularly aimed at the Assembly elections in 2023. It tried to nurture Dr CN Ashwath Narayan into one, but did not succeed. 

The party has three important Vokkaliga leaders — National General Secretary CT Ravi, minister R Ashok, and Ashwath Narayan. Earlier, it tried to pitch Ashok and former Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda as community leaders, but both failed in the task, party sources revealed.

The saffron party also considered CT Ravi, the charming leader with a “Hindutva” face. However, it learned in the process that the Hindutva ideology doesn’t work all that well in the Old Mysore region. Also, the Vokkaligas in that area will not easily accept leaders from other regions, no matter their community identity. Ravi is from Chikkamagaluru, while Gowda and Shobha Karandlaje have a coastal origin.

A Bengaluru leader with ‘good education’

In 2019, Ashwath Narayan played a major role in forming the BJP government in the state by poaching Congress and JDS MLAs, toppling the JDS-Congress coalition government. Ashok tried to play the same game, but Ashwath Narayan succeeded in his “assignment,” which helped BS Yediyurappa and the BJP come to power.

Also read: BJP faces Vokkaliga hurdle in Karnataka even as Cong, JD(S) enjoy edge

The BJP central leadership was convinced of developing Ashwath Narayan into a Vokkaliga leader, as he is from Bengaluru. The party wanted him to grow as a community leader. Rival parties, such as Congress and JDS, have strong Vokkaliga leaders, including HD Deve Gowda (JDS), his son HD Kumaraswamy (JDS), DK Shivakumar (Congress), and his brother DK Suresh (Congress). 

They have hold over the community in the Old Mysore region, whereas Ashwath Narayan has none. He is just branded as “a Bengaluru leader with good educational qualification.” However, Ashwath Narayan’s communication skills are good compared to BJP leaders such as Ashok.

Ashwath Narayan got the deputy chief minister’s post as a gift from the BJP for helping form the government under the leadership of BSY. This was the first time he was made a minister. Later, he was given charge of Ramanagara, where he had to politically confront leaders such as HD Kumaraswamy, DK Shivakumar, and his brother.

Notably, MP DK Suresh and Ashwath Narayan got into an altercation on the stage during a programme in Ramanagar early this year over some development work. The latter’s signal to the Vokkaliga community was clear: he was capable enough to handle the DK brothers.

Ashwath Narayan’s big project

The recent programme of unveiling Kempe Gowda’s bronze statue by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Kempe Gowda International Airport (KIA) was Ashwath Narayan’s effort as well.

The BJP has been worried about the Basavaraj Bommai-led government facing corruption charges and an anti-incumbency wave. Therefore, it is now focusing on communities other than the Lingayats, who are already backing the party. These communities include the Vokkaligas, OBCs, and SC/STs. Ashwath Narayan apparently tried to use the image of Nada Prabhu Kempe Gowda to woo his community.

The Vokkaligas are the deciding factor for an electoral win in the Old Mysore region for any political party. The BJP has MLAs from the old Mysore region, but they are mainly poached from the Congress and JDS. So, now, the BJP wants to strengthen its Vokkaliga base, or at least a part of it, to spoil Congress’s or JDS’ chances.

Ashwath Narayan has tried his best to portray a convincing image of himself as a Vokkaliga leader and develop a following in the community by taking the lead in Modi’s programme. He was the driving force as 21 vehicles collected “holy mud” from the Vokkaliga belts in the Old Mysore region to KIA.

Also read: What a tall Kempegowda statue may do for ‘edgy’ BJP in Karnataka

However, it is not so easy to become a Vokkaliga leader, as the community still follows former Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy, and DK Shivakumar.

Missed opportunity?

According to BJP sources, Ashwath Narayan has missed the opportunity despite his efforts to publicise the Kempe Gowda statue. Till the unveiling, the community appreciated his efforts. His name did the rounds for a month as the Kempe Gowda chariot moved into the Vokkaliga heartland.

However, “not inviting” HD Deve Gowda to the programme became an issue in the community. The issue has snowballed into a big setback for him, as JDS snubbed him for “using” Kempe Gowda for the political cause of the BJP.

Some BJP leaders had agreed privately that neglecting Deve Gowda would prove costly for the party. It has happened in the past. For instance, Congress’s Siddaramaiah, who targeted Deve Gowda during the 2018 Assembly elections, lost his Chamundeshwari constituency and several other MLA seats in the Old Mysore region.

Also read: 2023 Karnataka polls: BJP goes all out to woo Vokkaligas and OBCs

BJP’s agenda was to keep Deve Gowda happy and attract Vokkaliga votes. It was also willing to join hands with JDS to form a coalition government in the state. Modi shares a rapport with Deve Gowda and has shown no interest in having a tussle with the veteran leader, sources said.

The Deve Gowda factor

BJP has claimed that it had indeed invited Deve Gowda to the event. But Kumaraswamy has pointed out that the chief minister invited only him through a phone call the previous night. He has even claimed that the state BJP misguided Modi. “Kempe Gowda does not belong to the BJP or some ministers. Kempe Gowda is the asset of Kannadigas, and we object to dragging him into politics,” he said.

The Karnataka government’s “handling of the Deve Gowda issue” has reportedly become a worrying factor for the BJP central leadership. A senior leader said the Delhi leaders are unhappy with Ashwath Narayan for making the Kempe Gowda statue an “anti-Deve Gowda” issue, as it is likely to boomerang for the BJP.

Even the other Vokkaliga ministers and MLAs in the party have not spoken in favour of Ashwath Narayan, as they reportedly do not want him as their leader. One of them shared with The Federal that Ashwath Narayan has no mass appeal, and he can only be a leader on his home turf of Bengaluru’s Malleshwaram.

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However, the state BJP seems to have no option other than him as a Vokkaliga face for the time being. The central leaders have reportedly alerted him about trying to be seen as a Vokkaliga leader in the Old Mysore region but without getting into any confrontation, especially with Deve Gowda. They have also reportedly warned him that tackling Kumaraswamy and DK Shivakumar on their home turf of Ramanagara won’t be so easy and asked him to act accordingly.