Amidst COVID-19, Karnataka CM Yediyurappa is third time lucky

One more effort by a section of B.S. Yediyurappa’s partymen, even amidst the pandemic, has come a cropper, at least for now

May 31, 2021 01:10 pm | Updated 04:44 pm IST - Bengaluru

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa

With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command spurning the campaign by a section of partymen demanding leadership change in Karnataka , Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa seems to have survived yet another effort to depose him, third amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

A few MLAs who were in Delhi seeking leadership change returned to Bengaluru last week empty handed. Mr. Yediyurappa himself acknowledged this effort said that those who went to Delhi had got a “suitable answer”. 

Now a section of legislators loyal to him are demanding removal of Tourism Minister C.P. Yogeshwar, who has been speaking against the Chief Minister, from the Cabinet.

Earlier efforts

Though there have been several efforts earlier, the first attempt to depose Mr. Yediyurappa post-pandemic was in the peak of the first wave in July-August, 2020. With mounting allegations of pandemic mismanagement, dissidents complained to the high command of alleged corruption and interference by Chief Minister’s son B.Y. Vijayendra and sought a change of guard. However, this attempt, came to an abrupt halt when Mr. Yediyurappa tested positive for COVID-19. The timing would be disastrous for any change, high command opined, sources said.

The second attempt was during March-April, 2021, starting with Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s repeated criticism of the Chief Minister and predictions of change in leadership and senior Minister K. S. Eshwarappa’s letter to Governor and Prime Minister complaining of corruption and interference by the Chief Minister’s Office in his departmental work. The campaign saw several leaders hold secret meetings with MLAs, trying to pool in support. The campaign picked up the issue of government granting land to JSW Steel Ltd., at a low price, which the BJP had opposed while in Opposition. This too simmered down after Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Mr. Vijayendra met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Cabinet recently withdrew the land sale to JSW.

However, weeks later, another campaign picked up, with MLAs camping in Delhi and trying to pressure the high command for a leadership change in the State. “Given the public anger across India over pandemic management, it was decided at a recent high-level meeting attended by the Prime Minister that under-performers should be sacked. Those seeking a change here argued that the State government had also failed to handle the pandemic and the Chief Minister, due to his advanced age and interference by his son, was not able to lead the administration. They pointed to the Chamarajanagar oxygen shortage tragedy that led to the death of 24 people,” a senior BJP leader said. However, the high command reportedly did not buy the argument and refused to meet dissident MLAs, but instead asked them to not come to Delhi during the pandemic for political reasons.

Matter of time?

“Leadership change will happen eventually, but the high command may be concerned about its timing, especially during the second wave of the pandemic,” said a senior leader identified in the camp that is for leadership change.

On the other hand, the Chief Minister’s camp accuses, though never on record, B. L. Santosh, National General Secretary (Organisation), of leading the efforts to overthrow Mr. Yediyurappa. “Because Mr. Santosh is part of the party high command, most times what his camp does is assumed to be at the behest of the high command, triggering speculations of imminent change. However, it has been proven time and again that it is not true,” a senior Minister close to the Chief Minister said. Sources in the party claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi now also consults senior RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale, from Karnataka, on matters concerning the State.

Absence of alternative

What makes Mr. Yediyurappa, 78, hold on to office despite persistent allegations of inefficiency, corruption and interference by his son is not far to seek. “There is no credible alternative leadership that the high command is confident can lead the party in 2023 Assembly polls and more crucially in the 2024 parliamentary polls. There is also the constant fear of antagonising the electorally critical Lingayat vote base that has sustained Mr. Yediyurappa in the seat,” said a senior party strategist.

The three deputy Chief Ministers the high command picked have, in its assessment, failed to emerge as mass leaders capable of leading the party in elections, sources said. While many other aspirants have cropped up, each trying to pressure the high command to affect leadership change, none seem to elicit confidence for the central leadership to take the gamble. The Chief Minister’s camp has consistently been arguing that deposing him mid-term would alienate the Lingayat vote base, hitting the party’s prospects badly, like it did for Congress when it replaced Veerendra Patil in the early 1990s. However, his detractors believe that Mr. Yediyurappa no longer enjoys Lingayat loyalty he once did.

‘Objective’ appraisal

“There was a time when the high command seemed to be swayed by multiple campaigns launched by a faction within the party to oust Mr. Yediyurappa. But that changed after an objective assessment by Arun Singh, who was sent as in-charge of party affairs in the State and another national general secretary Bhupender Yadav, a close associate of Mr. Shah,” a senior strategist close to the Chief Minister claimed.

However, the faction opposing the Chief Minister have now included change of Mr. Singh also among their demands. The demand to call for a legislature party meeting too has not faded away, though it is right now muted.

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