Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Karnataka seem frustrated at the stagnation within the party, reflected in the delay in choosing the party chief and the legislature party leader, the likely alliance with H.D. Kumaraswamy-led Janata Dal (Secular) has set the cat among the pigeons.
It has disrupted the caste calculations that were hitherto driving the lobbying for these posts. It has also brought the party back to the drawing board and could possibly delay appointments to the posts till the party high command decides on the potential alliance with the JD(S).
NDA push by high command
“Though some factions are opposed to the alliance with the JD(S), the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) push at the Centre will likely drive the alliance. Those who were opposed to the alliance within the party also now seem to have accepted the reality and are recalibrating their moves,” a senior leader of the party said.
While it was being speculated that a Vokkaliga will likely lead the party and a Lingayat made the Leader of the Opposition, that will likely change if the alliance with the JD(S) becomes a reality, sources said.
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and BJP national general secretary C.T. Ravi, both Vokkaligas, had emerged as the frontrunners to lead the party, even as C.N. Ashwath Narayan had pitched himself too. However, if an alliance with the JD(S), which has a strong support base among Vokkaligas and Old Mysore region, materialises, it would likely be a Lingayat or a OBC face that will be given charge of the party, sources claimed.
Meanwhile, B.Y. Vijayendra, son of former Chief Minister and Lingayat leader B.S. Yediyurappa, recently met BJP national president J.P. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi to reportedly pitch himself for the party chief’s post. However, sources said there was opposition to his leadership from the camp opposed to Mr. Yediyurappa and the party was unlikely to hand over the reins to him, as that would blunt the charge of dynastic politics the BJP makes against most Opposition parties.
Another Lingayat leader V. Somanna had also pitched for the post. This came amidst speculations that Basanagouda Patil Yatnal is also being considered for the post.
The name of V. Sunil Kumar, a Billava and the OBC face of the party, has also emerged as a frontrunner, if the high command decides to make an OBC leader the president, multiple sources in the party said.
Meanwhile, as Basavaraj Bommai and Mr. Yatnal were leading the race to become the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, they will unlikely be given the post if a Lingayat becomes the party chief. Mr. Sunil Kumar and S. Suresh Kumar may stand better a chance then, sources said.
While the possible alliance with the JD(S) has made things uncertain, party leaders hope that a decision is taken soon, after the ongoing Parliament session concludes, as further indecisiveness will affect the party’s prospects. “The factionalism within the party has allowed an indecisiveness to creep in. We have been expecting a surgery to the party from the run up to the Assembly polls. If not a major surgery, the high command should at least give a quick fix medicine for the party to revive in the State,” a senior party strategist said.
