IN A sign that Karnataka BJP leaders are unsure about going to polls under Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's leadership and that B S Yediyurappa continues to enjoy popularity in the state, a section of MLAs in the Karnataka BJP are seeking the presence of the former CM at events in their constituencies, in the run-up to the state Assembly polls. At a press conference a few days ago, Congress spokesperson Ramesh Babu claimed: "Yediyurappa and Bommai are standing on different shores at present. During the national executive in Delhi, as many as 30 Karnataka BJP MLAs signed a letter, saying there should be a change of leadership in the state through the exit of Bommai. Those who have signed the letter are supporters of Yediyurappa." Some of the MLAs considered loyal to Yediyurappa, however, denied signing any letter, while agreeing that it would be difficult for the party to fight the 2023 polls under Bommai's captaincy. "Sending a letter would not be viewed in a good light,'' explained an MLA. An MLA from north Karnataka, who is a Yediyurappa loyalist, said they wanted him to campaign for them. "We want to invite all leaders, but Yediyurappa is special. We want him to attend a rally for weavers in our constituency. Yediyurappa and (his son) Vijayendra have been invited. Yediyurappa has said he will be in Delhi, so Vijayendra will attend instead,'' the MLA said. The Yediyurappa group in the Karnataka BJP - comprising largely Lingayat MLAs like Yediyurappa himself - has been nursing wounds at being sidelined after Yediyurappa stepped down as the CM in July 2021 to make way for Bommai. The former CM has been divested of any real powers within the state BJP unit. There are fears among Yediyurappa loyalists that they could be sidelined during ticket distribution as well. With the state elections approaching, Yediyurappa has attempted to express his unhappiness over his sidelining, by staying away from rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda, in recent weeks. Finally on Saturday, Yediyurappa attended an event in north Karnataka on the occasion of a visit by Shah, to prepare the state unit for the Assembly polls. This followed a meeting between Yediyurappa and PM Modi in Delhi - on the sidelines of the recent BJP national executive meeting - where some pre-poll concerns of the Yediyurappa group were addressed. The BJP high command has since attempted to mollify the former CM by issuing instructions to party MLAs against attacking Yediyurappa. A BJP MLA, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who has a long history of attacking Yediyurappa and his younger son Vijayendra without drawing any rebukes from the central leadership, reported this week that he had been instructed by the BJP high command not to speak against the former CM. "I have not compromised, but will remain silent as the high command has directed me to do so,'' Yatnal said Friday. The gag order without the imposition of any penal action is seen as a sign that the BJP considers both Yediyurappa and Yatnal as crucial leaders in the run-up to the polls. BJP vice-president and Yediyurappa's son, Vijayendra, however declared on Friday that attacking Yediyurappa would amount to attacking the BJP in Karnataka. "Yatnal is a senior and I would not like to speak about him, but I will say that the honorable B.S. Yediyurappa has been the CM of the state on four occasions and he is still the most accepted and respected among all communities, a big leader and activist,'' Vijayendra said. "If anyone throws stones at Yediyurappa then it will be the party that will suffer. Everybody should understand this and I think they will in the coming days,'' the former CM's son said. Yediyurappa is known to be keen to bring Vijayendra into active state politics. It is believed that the BJP leadership is opposed to this move, as Vijayendra was accused of operating as an extra-constitutional power centre during Yediyurappa's various CM tenures.
