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
Narrow minded Mr. Shetty, in gulf countries somany Hindu girls are working under Arabs/Muslims for the sake of money. Why don't you term them condition to work under Hindus in India.
need job in muslim firm in ramdhan time many hindu womens weariing burka and coming to collect zakat money are you bother about tiz know because need money what a joke ramesh shetty
For your kind information most of all muslim firm many hindu relgious girls working and aslo many bachelore hindu girls working in gulf country tiz is allowed ,what you called for tiz love jihad or love jihd in gulf country shame on you uncultred people....
Rakesh Shetty : people like you are called narrow minded..... Grow up.
i dont understand why people like Rakesh Shetty are so much worried about popularity of Islam.
if they can track who is visiting whom in the locality, I wonder why these goons didnt reach sister Bhavani's house, who died at Janavasati Colony in Puttur taluk’s Vidyapur , and not a single saviour of hindu religion came forward to cremate her.
i wish these goons help their own hindu Koraga families living in shambles in Kulshekar.
And hope the police exhibit same proactiveness to stop moral.policing, drug menace, rapes and control law and order in the district.
looks like police dept is only interested in supporting moral.policing and protecting cows
Non-sence statement given by One Mr. Rakesh Shetty. Why that one sided policy? There are many cases of "Kesari Jihad" by the Saffronists in the recent days. Open your narrow-mindedness before you give such statement.
ಶ್ರೀಯುತ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿಯವರೆ,
ಇಸ್ಲಾಂ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಕರ್ತನ ಧರ್ಮ. ಈ ವಿಶ್ವವನ್ನು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿದ ಏಕೈಕ ಜಗದೊಡೆಯನನ್ನು ಆರಾಧಿಸುವುದು ಮಾತ್ರವಾಗಿದೆ ಇಸ್ಲಾಂ ಕಲ್ಫಿಸುವುದು. ಅದಲ್ಲದೆ ತಾವೇ ಸ್ವತಃ ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಿದವುಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂಜಿಸುವ ಗತಿಗೇಡು ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರಿಗಿಲ್ಲ. ಯಾರಾದರೂ ಹಾಗೆ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ (ಶಿರ್ಕ್ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ) ಧಾರ್ಮಿಕವಾಗಿ ಅವರು ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರೂ ಅಲ್ಲ. ಇನ್ನು ಬಲತ್ಕಾರದಿಂದ, ಹಣದಾಸೆಯಿಂದ ಯಾರನ್ನಾದರೂ ಹಿಡಿದು ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಅವರ ಮೇಲೆ ಹೇರುವ ಗತಿಗೇಡು ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರು ಮಾಡಿಲ್ಲ, ಮಾಡುವುದೂ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಈ ಧರ್ಮದ ಸುಂದರ ಆಶಯವನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ಆಕರ್ಷಿತರಾಗಿ ಜನರು ಇಸ್ಲಾಮನ್ನು ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆಯೇ ಹೊರತು, ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರನ್ನು ಕಂಡಲ್ಲ. ಅಲ್ಲಾಹನು ತಾನು ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸುವವರನ್ನು ಸನ್ಮಾರ್ಗದಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ನೀವು ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಖುರ್ ಆನನ್ನು ಕಲಿಯಿರಿ.
ಇಸ್ಲಾಂ ಇಹಲೋಕ ಜೀವನ ಮತ್ತು ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರ ಜನಸಂಖ್ಯೆಗೆ ಯಾವುದೇ ಪ್ರಾಶಸ್ತ್ಯ ನೀಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಬದಲಾಗಿ ಪಾರತ್ರಿಕ ಜೀವನದ ವಿಜಯವೇ ಅದರ ಉದ್ದೇಶ. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಜಯಶಾಲಿಯಾಗಬೇಕಾದರೆ ನಮ್ಮೆಲ್ಲರನ್ನು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿದ ಆ ಅಲ್ಲಾಹನ್ನು ಮಾತ್ರ ಆರಾಧಿಸಬೇಕು. ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ವ್ಯರ್ಥವಾಗಿ ತರ್ಕಿಸಿ ಯಾವುದೇ ಫಲವಿಲ್ಲ.
This is a case of Love jihad, Great Job by Bajrang Dal. we dont have any problem if muslims girls visit our houses. but we condemn hindu Girls visiting Muslim houses. Muslims will do Taqiya to convert hindus by hook or crook,
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