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
Mohammed harish ... (16)
Point to be noted.. For long time people are in Darkness of this false story.. and many hindus are reading it and understanding the deception on this. and they even question.
if God cannot recognise his own son , then how can we accept him as God.
If God cannot fix with human head then how come we accept him as God.
If God cannot act aggressively with his own son, how can we accept him as God
Question to PONDER and know NA TASYA PRATIMA ASTI (There is no image of God) When VEDAS says it then people are mocking at God with such idiotic ideology which doesnt make sense... Please stay away from such ideology and Ponder on who is our CREATOR ... God will Guide those who are honest in their search.
May God help those who are HONEST to find the truth.
Please he his not god he is same like human being same like us.
we need to worship only one god. thats none other than allah. he is the creator all of us and entire world. you guys are worshiping stone. you know stone is created by god. we dont know how god looks. and yu guys celebrating ganesh chathurthi. i read about ganesh story parvathi the wife of shiva was getting ready for her bath and she needed someone to gaurd her. the young boy stand near entrance of the bathroom, while she was bathing shiva returned and was surprised to find little boy standing at the entrance. when shiva tried to enter. the little boy blocked his path. shiva asked who are you why are you blocking my path...? little boy answered no one enters bathroom my mother is taking her bath declared the boy boldly. shiva replied i have right to enter she is my wife . but young boy did not move but stood his ground. shiva not knowing that this was his own son , shiva who was quick anger grew enraged. little boy disobeyed shiva , he cut off the boy head. parvathi returning from her bath saw her son lying dead and overcome with grief. she was filled with both anger and sorrow.
shiva sent his soldiers to fetch the head of the first best they saw. the men rushed and finally come upon with elephant head. then shiva attached it onto the body of the little boy and gave him life once again . i have doubt in this story. y shiva dont know about his son.. is he born to shiva. why they fixed elephant head. why cant fix same human head. god god fighting. ha ha ha ha ha this is crazy. fully confused religion.
Its just an idol. Where is god. God is a creator not a creation.
The one who made the idol. He is more superior than the idol.
Quran says. Only the religion is acceptable is islam. No other religious book says so.
Muslims just deliver the message. They don't benefit anything. At the of end. They will be the loser.Only quran says earth is round. And finger print does not match with another finger.
Even zamzam water. Millions of people drink. It never felt short. Saudi is known for shortage of water. But zamzam water never dropped an inch.
Keep ur ego aside. Come to the true religion.
There is no Hindu God or Muslim God or Christian God or God for any other community...
God is ONE, Who created U ME and all that exists...
From Prophet ADAM to Ibrahim, to Moses to Jesus to Muhammad peace be upon them all are all the prophets of God who conveyed the one message to WORSHIP him alone and dont associate partners with him...
Search for TRUTH, If you are HONEST, U will find the TRUTH ... God's Guidance will reach YOU if U are HONEST and TRUTHFUL in searching for HIM...
Follow VEDAS (NA TASYA PRATIMA ASTI) rather than cheddis script...
(Temple & idols are made to oppose vedas)
U will be successful....
He reached his highest level, he does not need God, even if he teases God people accept it....God was there for him when he was zero....
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