The timing of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s statement that he would resign if the BJP high command asked him to, and its subtle messaging on the pandemic, seems to be part of a counter-offensive by the Chief Minister’s camp against his detractors, according to party sources.
His statement clearly came with the confidence that he had the backing of the high command, as it had recently sent a clear message to dissidents that leadership change was not on the cards “for now”, at least till the country tides over the pandemic and rebuilds the economy, sources said. This was evident in how the party formed a committee to improve coordination between itself and the government and to iron out dissidence in the State. The committee, led by State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, has five general secretaries of the party and three Ministers, and will meet all dissidents to pacify them.
The Chief Minister has also reportedly decided to meet all Ministers one-on-one to sort out their grievances. After the party high command devised an institutional mechanism to resolve the differences, the Chief Minister’s statement on his “resignation” had a different aim, sources said.
Party strategists pointed to an “unmissable subtext” in the statement that Mr. Yediyurappa has been tirelessly working for the people during the pandemic and was not bothered about politics. R. Ashok and Basavaraj Bommai explicitly said so, attacking those campaigning for a leadership change. “The Chief Minister is, even today, busy meeting experts and officials to fight COVID-19 and preparing the State for a possible third wave,” Mr. Ashok said. The CM’s camp has adopted this line for several weeks now, attacking all politicking during the health crisis.
“It seems to have resonated with the public, who are averse to any effort at destabilising the government during a crisis troubling them. Only mass leaders such as Mr. Yediyurappa can directly appeal to the public and galvanise support, legitimising their leadership, more than any support or the lack of it from legislators. Now everyone is forced to declare their support of him,” observed a senior Minister.
A dare?
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief D.K. Shivakumar also said Mr. Yediyurappa’s statement suggested a careful political strategy. “Yediyurappa is a strong leader who won’t give up easily. His statement can be interpreted in multiple ways: it could be a dare, asking his detractors to touch him, or a suggestion that he is a party disciplinarian even as the BJP State unit has lost all discipline,” he said.
The Chief Minister’s camp has reportedly given up taking a defensive stance to campaigns demanding a leadership change and has decided to go on the offensive. “There are plans to report to the high command several developments in the State. It will be done shortly,” Mr. Bommai said on Sunday.
The camp has reportedly floated demands for a change of State unit president, alleging that Mr. Kateel has himself been indulging in factionalism. It has also been demanding disciplinary action against all dissidents making public statements and embarrassing the party and the government, mainly Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and C.P. Yogeshwar. “The party will serve show-cause notices on all those making such statements. The disciplinary committee will take action against them,” Mr. Ashok said.
