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
Only apology from Modi? No need of resignation from PM post?
dear gau rakshaks,
did you know india is top exporters of cow meat to worldwide.?
you ignored to stop such big slaughtering of cows in mass by this present BJP govt. what are you now demanding from the PM to reverse a statement. come on first try dealing to stop export of such large scale slaughtering. the petty things of handful number of cow slaughtering will stop automatically.
what a Joke.well he will Apologize once he finishes his WORLD TOUR.Till then keep going your Dharana.
Deception - back fired.
BJP is the main source of supporting the cheddis.
Your plans are weakening YOU and those who play with the rules of God will face such humiliation through your own evil plans.
In few days their own hindu brothers will be attacked... dalits r already under attack... now rest of the hindus too will be attacked by the mindless cheddis?
Honest hindus should recognise this and voice out against the cheddis who is creating unrest in the society.
Ha ha.....nice naatak......
I said before two years in some comment ....when some fools kept chanting modi modi modi.....one day the same people will trash him...it's seen now...thank God.....dear fools....nation cannot run from imagination of a person named Modi.......reality and results are formed by teamwork......praise the party not the person....
Ha ha.....nice naatak......
I said before two years in some comment ....when some fools kept chanting modi modi modi.....one day the same people will trash him...it's seen now...thank God.....dear fools....nation cannot run from imagination of a person named Modi.......reality and results are formed by teamwork......praise the party not the person....
Bure Din for Gow Bhakshaks.. Hamari billi hame miyaau miyaau
Do not rest till you get an apology from the FEKU ......Good luck
Cow smugglers, shut up!
Dear Our Gau Rakshak Brothers
First of all prove true religiously and scientifically do you say slogans to protect cows and not other animals.
A true religion always goes with science, it does not clash with science. In vedas, you can see Hindu Rshis have eaten and sacrificed cows, cattle.
If you have evidence against your claim, bring to the public and you will have support of not only all Indians and also you will have worldwide support. What version of Hinduism are you following.
Cows in India are less than 10% of cows in the whole world.
If you are truthful with your claims, prove the whole world that your claim of go rakshan is correct.
If you can prove, you will have reward from the God and also appreciation by the whole world.
Imposing and Bringing blind faith on others is your atrocity to others. You are indirectly forcing others to follow your blind faith, which is bad.
Simply if you don't want to eat beef, it is upto you,
Others are eating their cow. Not your cow.
Don't force others to follow you and stop their food.
Our fair Hindu brothers and sisters should raise concerns and stop their illiterate so called flag carriers of Hindu religion.
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