Disquiet fumes in Karnataka BJP where 'high command' turns futile

Bengaluru: Despite several efforts by the BJP high command to stem the infighting and control the disgruntled Karnataka BJP MLAs, the infighting went public, where MLAs have given open statements against current Chief Minister, BS Yediyurappa (BSY). On one side, some spoke in favour of BSY;and on the other some criticised his attitude and called for an immediate change of guard in the state government.

BJP high command deputed Arun Singh, Party general secretary, to hold the party together and talk to the MLAs.

Even after a series of discussion and issuing warnings against going public on this issue, several BJP MLAs went on with open statements in the media for and against BSY and the unravelling intervention of his son BS Vijayendra. Warnings issued by the high command went futile as disgruntled MLAs continued their group activities which might have amounted to disciplinary actions in a normal situation.

BJP MLC H Vishwanath, who defected from JDS and joined BJP, has launched a scathing attack on BSY and his ability to govern. He also criticised CM's son Vijayendra's intervention in the state governance. This has resulted in a political slugfest and attracted sharp reactions from BSY's staunch supporters and MLAs.

Meanwhile, some MLAs have alleged that their calls are being tapped, and they are getting calls from unknown corners to speak against the chief minister to strengthen the anti-BSY camp. This has triggered the BSY camp, and now they are coming out openly against BJP high command and RSS leadership for supporting such elements, which are trying to dislodge the popular Chief Minister who brought BJP's first government south of Vindhyas.

The RSS is silent and has kept its fingers crossed although it wants BSY to be replaced, they are yet to identify an alternative leadership for the BJP in the state as the state BJP does not have enough leaders to match the might of BSY.

According to sources, the Karnataka RSS leadership has already informed BJP high command that without having an alternative mechanism, if BSY is removed, the party base would get shattered as most of them are still staunch followers of BSY. MLAs and leaders in the BSY camp had already reminded the RSS and BJP high command about 2013 when BSY rebelled against the party and the state BJP got decimated in the assembly elections.

Political observers believe that replacing BSY will not be a smooth affair in Karnataka, as he belongs to the Lingayath community, which constitute the biggest support base for the party in the state. Losing BSY is nothing but losing 70 per cent of the Lingayat votes. The community supports BJP only when it sees its people at the helm of affairs; this has kept BJP high command on a sticky wicket; otherwise, it could have taken stringent action against BSY, and his camp defied high command warnings time and again.

Thus, it is clear that more political developments are in the offing from Karnataka in the coming days.