BSY resigns, BJP to pick new CM
Claims he had quit the CM post on his own
Marking the end of an era, 78-year-old Lingayat strongman B.S. Yediyurappa, who is credited with getting the Hindi heartlandcentric BJP its first government in South India, finally resigned as Karnataka Chief Minister, following growing pressure from a section within the party and the central leadership unwilling to let the septuagenarian continue to hold the top post when most party leaders had followed the 75-year-old age bar. The eight-time MLA, one-time MP and MLC, three-time leader of the Opposition and four-time chief minister has never completed a full term as CM of the state.
The names of state leaders Murugesh Nirani, Arvind Bellad, Basavraj Bommai, C.N. Ashwath Narayan, C.T. Ravi, Union minister Pralhad Joshi and BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh doing the round as Yediyurappa’s successor.
While speculation was rife in Karnataka for weeks that Mr Yediyurappa would not be able to dodge the bullet this time, especially when his close confidante Shobha Karandlaje was inducted in the Narendra Modi government, perceived by many as an effort by the BJP leadership to ease the
Lingayat strongman’s decision to abide by its diktat.
Yeddiyurappa, who a few days back asserted that no one had asked him to resign, said on Monday after announcing his resignation at a party event to mark the completion of his two years as CM that it was his own decision.
“No one forced me to resign from the high command; I only decided to give my resignation… Don’t take me otherwise; with your permission... I have decided that after lunch I will go to Raj Bhavan and submit my resignation as chief minister to the governor... Not out of grief, but with happiness,” Mr Yediyurappa said with a choked voice, as he turned quite emotional while addressing an event to mark his government’s two years in office at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda for giving him an opportunity to serve as chief minister for two years, despite completing 75 years.
He described the two years of his government as a “trial by fire”, recalling that he had to run the administration without a Cabinet in the early days, followed by devastating floods & Covid, among other issues.
While the BJP top brass had been trying hard to lessen the impact of his exit, as he is considered the most popular face of the numerically strong Lingayat community, many feel that the aftereffects of his resignation could be felt if his successor is not agreeable to Yediyurappa, whose Lingayat brethren even in the Opposition camp as well as Lingayat seers had come out in his support amid reports of his possible ouster.
While a section within the BJP state unit and central leadership might have heaved a sigh of relief after Yediyurappa announced his resignation, his statement that “there is no question about me leaving the state” might give jitters to many who are hoping that he will be kept out of state politics. No one will forget the BJP leadership’s earlier bid to dislodge and sideline Yediyurappa, when he quit the party and the BJP had to face its impact in its state organisation.
As soon as he announced his resignation, his Assembly constituency — Shikaripura in Shivamogga district, which he has represented seven times — was shut down as a mark of protest by his supporters. Traders voluntarily shut down their businesses as the BJP supporters staged a demonstration in the town. Roads were deserted as Yediyurappa’s supporters hit the streets raising slogans and put up his cutouts to show their solidarity with him. The workers also denounced BJP leaders for forcing the Lingayat strongman to resign without letting him complete his full term.
BJP national general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh declined to comment on the next CM after BSY’s resignation and said the decision was left to the party’s parliamentary board and the BJP legislature party.