No end to K’taka BJP’s woes

Democracy thrives when a vibrant government is complemented by an ever vigilant Opposition which makes sure that it keeps the ruling party on its toes on every one of its failings. Karnataka did have a strong opposition till a couple of years ago when the Congress party, then in the Opposition, made it a point to put the BJP on the mat on its many lapses. But after its exit from power, no longer is the BJP able to play the role of an effective opposition because of deep differences among its leaders. This has even made many wonder if the real opposition voice in Karnataka is Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S), who does not let go of any chance to target the ruling Congress! In the latest round of dissent among the saffronists, a delegation of dissident leaders by Ramesh Jarkiholi has met BJP National President JP Nadda to convince him to remove party state president BY Vijayendra from his post calling him ineffectual.

It remains to be seen if the BJP top brass, who have not yet recovered from the humiliating defeat in the Assembly polls a couple of years ago, would dare to remove Vijayendra for it would mean upsetting his father and former CM BS Yediyurappa. The BJP is paying for its own faults for it has in the past few decades tried its best to exploit the community factor to up its fortunes in Karnataka politics. It has tried its best to emerge as the party of the Lingayats by propping up community mascot Yediyurappa so that votes of the dominant community are safe and secure in its kitty. The community too responded in equal measure backing the BJP till recently when they shifted in large numbers to the Congress, probably upset over poor administration.

And so the BJP suffered an ignominious defeat with its seat tally almost halved in the 2023 Assembly polls when it was ousted from power. Now, a set of BJP leaders feel that enough is enough and are bent on getting the party out of the stranglehold of Yediyurappa and his sons - one is the state president and the other a Lok Sabha MP. They assert that dynastic politics has done enough damage to the party and are pressing for elections to the post of party state president. Many disgruntled leaders who do not see a bright future for themselves under the present leadership, could join the dissident group in the days to come.

The central leadership no doubt finds itself caught between the proverbial ‘devil and the deep sea’ for BSY as Yediyurappa is popularly known, despite his advancing age, continues to wield substantial clout among the mutts of the Lingayats and their seers. They know well how he split the party about a decade ago and formed his own splinter outfit, the KJP, wrecking the party’s prospects in the next polls in 2013. With the backward classes and the Vokkaligas besides the Dalits and minorities, firmly backing the Congress thanks to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s sway over them, the BJP’s only hope are the Lingayats, who could desert its fold if BSY is treated shabbily.

But then ignoring the pleas of the dissidents would mean a further rift in BJP ranks. All these are a pointer to the fact that the ruling Congress is sitting pretty in a state where it continues to enjoy enormous popularity because of the five guarantee schemes. That there is no change in the mood of the electorate became evident in the Assembly bypolls a few months ago when the Congress swept all seats. It is also a reminder to Congressmen that they can remain firmly in the saddle in Karnataka - unless of course they shoot themselves in the foot with too many squabbles over the leadership question.