Away from photo ops,he is BSYs bridge with high command

In Karnataka,Lehar Singh Siroya is usually seen in public only when a BJP national leader drops by.

In Karnataka,Lehar Singh Siroya is usually seen in public only when a BJP national leader drops by. Most other times,he is a backroom operator. In the state,many MLAs may not be aware about him but in New Delhi even L K Advani knows him.

Treasurer of the Karnataka BJP for over seven years and a member of the legislative council over the last five months,Lehar Singh has emerged in recent years as Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappas response to a limited ability to converse in Hindi seen as the lingua franca of the BJP.

According to BJP insiders,Singh has been Yeddyurappas interlocutor with the BJP high command building bridges for the Chief Minister across the party spectrum and ensuring no political ground is lost in translation.

Story continues below this ad

The steel exporter and businessman from Bangalores Bamboo Bazaar shot himself to fame this week by playing a strategic role inadvertent according to him in opening up cracks in the BJP top rung over a national role for Gujarat CM Narendra Modi.

Advertisements placed by Singh in Hindi dailies this week,calling for Modi to play a bigger role for the BJP at the national level,clashed with the views of Sushma Swaraj,who a few days earlier felt the Gujarat CM has little pan-India effect.

Singh has been a loyal party worker since 1971 having helped the BJP make strong inroads into the trading community,BJP insiders said.

Once identified with both of the BJPs Karnataka supremos Ananth Kumar and B S Yeddyurappa,the 58-year-old has in recent times been identified more with the Karnataka CM.

Story continues below this ad

His nomination to the state legislative council from relative obscurity in May this year was seen primarily as a sign of Yeddyurappa rewarding him.

Singhs connections with the national leadership is one factor behind the unofficial role he plays as protocol manager for BJP leaders visiting Bangalore. While he is rarely seen at photo sessions with state leaders,he is invariably in the frame when an Arun Jaitley or a Narendra Modi comes calling.

For many years,Lehar Singh has arranged the logistics of visits by national leaders. This has brought him close to many people. Since Yeddyurappa does not speak Hindi,he has been an interlocutor too, says a BJP state office worker.

Singh claims his advertisements had little to do with intra-party politics and more to do with the unflinching support for Modi.

Story continues below this ad

There was no ulterior motive. Modiji has been continually notching up achievements in Gujarat. It was our way of saying he should play a role in the national capital, Singh said.