The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which lost the recently held elections to Karnataka Assembly by a huge margin, is not only set to appoint the Leader of the Opposition, but is also getting ready to initiate the process of an organisational rejig.
The organisational rejig has been pending since August 2022, when incumbent State president Nalin Kumar Kateel completed his term of three years. However, the party had decided to continue with him as not much time was left for the Assembly elections then. The party leaders were of the view that it would not be possible for any new president and his team of office-bearers to establish grip over the organisation within a short duration. Hence, he continued in the post.
Now, after the polls, the party is set to appoint a new president and a new team of office-bearers. This process has assumed more importance now as the new president will have the daunting task of instilling confidence among party workers and boosting their morale, besides making the organisation battle ready to face the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
Sources in the party say that the new State president would be appointed soon. However, the immediate task for the party is to appoint the Leader of the Opposition.
Striking a balance
According to a BJP State leader, the party is trying to strike a balance in terms of communities and region with respect to appointment of the Leader of the Opposition. The party is concerned that its main support base of Lingayat community has eroded this time as its candidates in the Lingayat dominated areas have lost. At the same time, it has managed to increase its vote share in Greater Bengaluru area and southern Karnataka though its vote share dwindled in its strong holds of northern and central regions.
Following this, the party wants to not only woo back the Lingayat community, but also retain its gains in the Greater Bengaluru and southern region. It is also keen to bounce back in its prominent support area of the coastal region. Hence, the party is thinking of choosing its Leader of the Opposition from among the Lingayats, Vokkaligas, and OBC from the coastal region, sources pointed out.
This can be interpreted as choosing among outgoing Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Vokkaliga legislator from Bengaluru Arvind Bellad, and former Minister V. Sunil Kumar from the coastal region.
Linked moves
There is a link between the appointment of Leader of the Opposition and the State president, said a BJP State leader, while explaining that the State president will have to be from a community other than that of the Leader of the Opposition.
Though the party is yet to begin even the primary process of appointment of the State president, speculations are rife that the names that would be considered for this post include Union Ministers Shobha Karandlaje and Bagwanth Khuba besides party national general secretary C.T. Ravi, who lost the Assembly polls.
Meanwhile, the party is yet to formally take up the process of introspection meetings regarding the poll debacle.
