Though the party high command choosing him as the party chief in Karnataka is largely attributed to the stature of his father, B.Y. Vijayendra asserted on Friday evening that while he was “proud to be B.S. Yediyurappa’s son”, that was not the only criterion for him being entrusted responsibility.
Mr. Vijayendra first made a splash in Karnataka’s political scene when he wanted to contest against then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Varuna in 2018. However, he was denied ticket at the last minute. Starting then, his attempts to make inroads in the party met with stiff resistance. Though he wanted to become the party’s general secretary in the State, he was made one of the party’s several vice-presidents in 2020.
Electoral debut
He made his electoral debut in the 2023 Assembly polls contesting from his father’s seat, Shikaripura, but winning with a slender margin of 11,008 votes.
He made a name for himself during Mr. Yediyurappa’s last tenure as Chief Minister during 2019-2021, as an efficient election manager who could deliver results in tough assignments. He was made in-charge of three bypolls - K.R. Pet in Mandya (2019), Sira in Tumakuru (2020), and Maski in Raichur (2021). He was credited for the party’s victory in the first two, while the party lost in Maski.
Allegations of corruption
But, Mr. Vijayendra also faced controversies and allegations of corruption. Allegations of corruption against him, some made by his own partymen, was cited as one of the reasons for the high command seeking the resignation of his father. Two unsigned letters by party MLAs, alleging systematic large-scale corruption by him, were circulated in 2020.
“His electioneering skills showed a shrewd politician with good organisational skills, a penchant for people management, touring the State and mass appeal, like his father,” said a senior party leader. “There is a vacuum in the leadership for the powerful Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, which has been searching for a leader after Mr. Yediyurappa. Mr. Vijayendra has the pedigree and mentoring of Mr. Yediyurappa. If he works well, he has the potential to emerge as a mass leader, but must ensure that corruption charges do not haunt him again,” the leader added.
