BJP wins Karnataka local polls,but no relief yet for BSY

Although the party has bettered its performance,it was always meant to be since its showing last time was very dismal. Between now and then,the party gained in strength,won the Assembly elections and came to power but the results,many felt,did not reflect the changed scenario. It had just one zilla panchayat then and 529 seats in taluka panchayats,a number that has now tripled. Senior central leaders said the party was hoping to corner 50 per cent of both zilla and taluka panchayats,indicating that the showing was short of expectations.

Senior leaders were non-committal about the fate of Yeddyurappa,who had been given a breather despite the mounting clamour for his removal since elections were round the corner.

In a jolt to Yeddyurappa,the BJP could not gain a comfortable majority in his home turf Shimoga as it won 16 of the 31seats barely scraping through. Congress got 13 seats and JD(S) two. The CM’s camp on Tuesday tried to argue that the BJP was never a force in the rural areas of the state,and so its performance was credible and “satisfactory”,showing that it was increasing its influence beyond cities.

Yeddyurappa’s critics were more forthright,dismissing these claims. Jagdish Shettar,a minister in the BSY Cabinet,pointed out that the allegations against the CM were about de-notifying prime plots of land in and around Bangalore. “It does not matter much in rural areas,” he said.

In what must be an uncomfortable signal for Yeddyurappa,the BJP central leadership did not indulge in any chest-thumping. While chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad denied suggestions of this being a lacklustre performance,there was no statement on the election victory or congratulatory messages.

“While we won 12 zilla panchayats,in at least four-five we are the single largest as we are just a couple of seats short of majority. We will manage to gain control. But overall,the performance was below expectations and has laid bare Yeddyurappa’s claims about his strength,” a senior leader said.