Grand old man of BJP Yediyurappa to retire from electoral politics

Yediyurappa has made it clear that he is no longer an aspirant for the CM’s post due to his age but wants to help the saffron party win

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s formal announcement of his retirement from electoral politics has come as a big relief for a section of the BJP that had anticipated the octogenarian politician to seek reelection from the Shikaripur Assembly constituency in Shivamogga district.

In Belagavi, the Lingayat face of the BJP, categorically stated that he would not contest in the coming Assembly polls as he has become 80 years old and the party norms don’t permit anyone above 75 years of age to hold any post. Accordingly, he will retire from electoral politics but will be available for the party any time to execute any duty the organisation many need of him, he said.

Though he has not named his successor, it is obvious that his son BY Vijayendra is the heir apparent provided the BJP leaders consider his plea. It is the wish of Yediyurappa to see that his son enters the State Assembly from the Shikaripura constituency, which he nurtured for the last forty years.

For this reason, Yediyurappa has volunteered to tour all 224 Assembly constituencies in the coming one or two months to help the party win as many seats as possible and retain power. Time and again, Yediyurappa has made it clear that he is no longer an aspirant for the CM’s post due to his age but wants to help the saffron party win around 130 seats so that it need not depend on anybody to form the next government.

Appaji’s love for Basanna Yediyurappa has special love for Basavaraj Bommai as it is he who brought him into the BJP fold in the year 2008. Yediyurappa not only helped him become a minister but also the chief minister even if for only one-and-a-half years. Without the support of Yediyurappa, Bommai would not have become the successor of his political mentor.

For this reason, Bommai gels with Yediyurappa better than any other senior BJP leader like Jagadish Shettar, DV Sadananda Gowda or BL Santosh. The CM’s close proximity with Yediyurappa was not liked by many seniors because of which they have maintained a distance without being actively involved either in Jan Sankalp Yatra or any other party meeting.

Bommai praises Yediyurappa more than any other previous CM, and this has not gone down well with many. The disgruntled leaders are waiting for Yediyurappa to retire from politics, so that they can hold the ‘Guru’ and ‘Shishya’ responsible in case the BJP fails to cross the 100 seats mark.

A source told News Trail that the BJP wants to make the optimum use of Yediyurappa in the next Assembly election in the wake of a possible tough fight from the Congress party and the Janata Dal (Secular).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah want the Lingayat leader to woo the community voters towards the lotus party in the wake of an anti-incumbency factor. It is to be seen whether Yediyurappa still holds sway over the Lingayat/ Veerashaiva voters, especially the new-generation ones. This will become evident when the electronic voting machines unlocked during the second or third week of May.