The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on November 10 appointed B.Y. Vijayendra, MLA and son of former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, as the president of its Karnataka unit six months after the party was voted out of power in the State. The move also comes a couple of months after the party announced its alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular).
The BJP is yet to announce a Leader of Opposition in the State legislature, but Friday’s appointment, following Union Minister and Bangalore North MP D.V. Sadananda Gowda’s recusal from fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha election, shows a glimmer of the direction the BJP hopes to take, to shore up its scattered support base. Mr. Vijayendra replaces Nalin Kateel whose term had ended even before the Assembly election. He had continued on extension.
