Bengaluru, Aug 2: Within a year of returning to power for the fourth time as Chief Minister in Karnataka, septuagenarian B.S. Yediyurappa has consolidated his position in the ruling BJP to stay the course till the next Assembly elections in mid-2023.
"A combination of factors helped Yediyurappa to consolidate and stay the course for the remaining term of his office to ensure the saffron party retains power in the state though he is unlikely to stake claim for the chief minister's post again as he would be 80 years old by 2023," a party source told news agency here.
Since the 77-year-old seasoned politician assumed office on July 26, 2019, the first year has been tumultuous for him, as he had go through a "trial by fire" what with the party's mighty high command and detractors testing his patience in the face of natural calamities like drought, floods and the Covid pandemic.
The first 7-8 months of the term were spent in tackling drought and floods, winning 12 of the 15 by-elections in December to secure a majority for the ruling party in the lower house and expanding the cabinet in February.
Even as Yediyurappa was settling down to seriously govern after presenting the state budget for fiscal 2020-21 in early March, the coronavirus outbreak overwhelmed him, as the pandemic spread and wreaked havoc, disrupting life, livelihood, economic growth and development.
"While the emphatic victory in the by-elections ensured the government's stability till the assembly term up to mid-2023, the second cabinet expansion on February 6 posed a challenge to Yediyurappa, as he could induct only 10 of the 12 MLAs who defected from the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and won the by-elections, triggering a revolt in the party by the loyalists left out of the ministry," the source recalled.
Though Yeddiyurappa has been leading the battle against the virus from day 1 and initially succeeded in controlling it from spreading during the extended lockdown till May 31, reopening the state under Unlock since June has undone the gains, as positive cases shot up to 1,29,287 so far, including 73,219 in Bengaluru after 53,648 recovered from across the state till date, while 2,412 succumbed to the deadly disease since March 9.
"For a state of 7 crore population, the data reveals that the pandemic has been fought on war-footing to contain it from spreading in all the 30 districts, although there are no signs of it going away till a vaccine is found. The chief minister has been trying to balance unlocking the state and containing the infection," a member of the health task force told IANS.
With six cabinet posts in the 34-member ministry being vacant, filling them will be a daunting task for Yediyurappa, as at least 20 legislators, including 5-6 newly elected turncoats and party's veterans are lobbying to become ministers at any cost.
By appointing 20 party legislators as heads of state-run board and corporations, nominating 5 as members of the state legislative council, including JD-S defector A.H. Vishwanath in July and getting 2 Congress defectors R. Shankar and M.T.B. Nagaraj elected as MLCs in June with 2 others, Yediyurappa ensured that these lawmakers would not be in the reckoning for the 6 cabinet posts, as dozen MLAs are already pitching for them.
Nagaraj and Vishwanath lost in the December 5 by-elections, while Shankar was not given a ticket to contest in the by-poll but was assured of making him an MLC with another disgruntled member C.P. Yogeshwar, who lost in the 2018 May assembly polls to JD-S leader and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the 14-month-old JD-S and Congress coalition government from May 23, 2018 to July 23, 2019.
Resignations of 17 rebels, including 14 from the Congress and 3 from the JD-S led to the fall of the coalition government, as Kumaraswamy lost the majority in the 225-member assembly on July 23, 2019 in their absence.
Though Yediyurappa led the party to win 105 seats in the 2018 assembly elections and formed a government on May 17, 2018, he resigned 3 days later on May 19, 2018, as he fell 8-9 seats short of the halfway mark (113) for a simple majority in the lower house.
In a post-poll alliance, the JD-S and the Congress formed the coalition government to keep the BJP out of power in May 2018, after the assembly elections gave split verdict and the Congress lost power then.
"The record victory of the ruling party in the May 2019 general elections, when 25 of its 27 contestants won out of 28 Lok Sabha seats from the state, reinforced the popular belief that Yediyurappa is the party's mascot in winning elections and an unquestionable leader of the politically dominant Lingayats in the state," the source pointed out.
When Yediyurappa left the BJP and floated a regional outfit (Karnataka Janata Party) in January 2013, he delivered a body blow to the BJP in the May 2013 state assembly polls, as the votes got split and was defeated by then Congress.
"Besides the party's high command, everyone in the party's state unit, including leaders and cadres are aware of Yediyurappa's popularity across the state, as has the wherewithal to connect with masses and win elections," the source added.
Comments
VHP are the most jobless people on earth. If they want to do social service..there are a hundreds of things they can do..and it's a very sad reality that these VHP people who are \so called hindus\" haven't read a page of their Scripture..it is their Hindu scripture that tells them to eat beef and other non veg. This clearly shows their level of knowledge. This is all a drama!because I have met so many hindus (I don't lie because I fear Allah) who eat beef..And even Christians who are no where in this beef issue. And i even know of these SAME NATAK HINDUS WHO PUT A NEW BORN MALE CALF INTO GOBAR GAS TANK BECAUSE THEY THINK MALE CALF ARE OF NO USE."
Is it mr true Indian ?,cmon give me a break. First learn English then advice me..from.which wahabist madrasa you learnt English .first learn the difference between \ leaving \" and \" living \" .then advice .sorry I am not a voter in US .if mr trump wins the election .I will be more happy because he knows how to handle Islamic terrorism wel . I am okay with racial profiling and I never met intolerance in this alien land ."
@Ahmed
When trump kicks u out from usa. What u will do. U r leaving in USA. But ur english is very poor.
@Ahmed fake.
ur usa funding and created terrorists. Shame on u.
Just type hilary clinton and taliban on utube. U will get the answer.
I never tried to divide. I tried to unite.
Pork carries lots of diseases an
Mr True Indian .don't talk like nonsense. I doubt you are an Indian.when we live in multi religious society we must respect others faith. If not becoz bastards like you .society gets divided.I clearly say its becoz of people like you sangh parivar is getting into violence mode .are you aware of cheddis power these days ? Come here and see.no no ...I don't think you will get not even tourist visa with your attitude for USA.whether you accept it or not ..100% sure Mr Modi will bring uniform civil code and we will be in real mess thereafter .so always advice respect other faiths .let's keep religion within home and private and outside let's live like Indians.Hindus take out hides from dead animals .do you know that ?...beef meat means buffalo meat also ....there is no restriction for them to eat it .PFI blocked?,I don't think so. They are having free time becoz of congress govt .moment table turns real problem will crop up. We must never underestimate cheddi log .even though I don't endorse them .its the fact .now they are more powerful than before .we might glorify PFI kfd and CFI .but we must know and predict our future positions.certainly we will have more problems if we allign with wahabist mentality groups in coming days.
Bopanna
But we dont eat. Have u seen a single muslim who ate pork. But i have seen many cheddies who eat beef and pork.
Pork is the only animal on earth which eats his own shit.
Pork eaters are also called as shit eaters. Ru pork's shit eater.
What about serving pork to Muhammad and all of you ,?
chaddis are with a intention to spoil youngsters life.
i/o of doing public welfare.
If one visit beef serving hotel it's real fun to see chaddis enjoying beef
Y don't u guys BAN export of beef which has increased
hahahaha look at one of he guy's comment(mainly we have to destroy bunder), for your kind info couple of years ago BEEF MANDI was under he hands of few hindutva activists, why didnt u destroy then ?
these people give big dialogues about go maathe and all and when they boose they make sure that they have a plate of beef fry.
HYPOCRITES.
Go and tell Modi to stop exporting cow meat.....before start killing innocent human kind....you don't have value and respect towards human kind....heartless creatures....killers of Mahatma Gandhi....
Yes you are right ....................Great result ...finally forced to change the tactics .....after Great resistance from Popular front of India and its allies such as Komu souarda vedike and like minded people and all other 95% Indian Citizens ...these fanatics agreed to change the tactics ...Jai Ho ........
WE CAN DO IT.......5 % Fascists V/S All other Sound Minded . Days are near when these Fanatics are dragged into the prison or to rehabilitation centres .
Vishwa hindu Pakistan
These coward people dont have guts to ban beef in goa.
Kick these vhp to pakistan. Police is not able to catch thogadia. How can they catch dawood.
Sachin Tendulkar’s Ferrari car. Udhav Tackrey’s Mercedes car. Baba Ramdev’s many luxurious car's interior are made from gau mata.
replace their car seat with steel chair.
And many luxurious brands in india like channel louis vuitton burberry gucci etc. most POLTICIANS use it. Are made from gau mata.
First look at ur own family member. Might fallen in love jihad.
How u people will survive without beef with alcohol.
Cheddis are known for their deception
Even after they were caught red handed by their own act of love jihad and cow Stealing, they are giving this shameful statements.. In future we will see this cheddis will be trapped in their deception again..
They think people are still fools accepting what they want .. But I wonder why dont some fools still dont understand this game of deception from the deceivers who learnt their lessons from the greatest deceiver on earth, the zionist... who will dump Indians as well as dump the cheddis with their evil acts...
u cannot stop anything in india, india will be the safest place for all like us.
banning caw slaughtering its just a dream.
for coming 100 or 1000 years, u cannot stop cow slaughtering, its our right we will eat till our death.
yes mainly we have to destroy bunder in this case
Hope at least your new strategy will stop beef export!!!
wow good news. Jai hindu rastra.
Add new comment