Who will lead K’taka BJP into the 2023 polls?

NT Correspondent

Buoyed by the victory in four of the five states in the recent polls, is the BJP considering a change of guard in Karnataka or will it prefer CM Basavaraj Bommai to lead the party into the 2023 Assembly polls? The BJP high command, having completed its electoral battle in five states, is set to focus on Karnataka which will go to polls in April-May next year.

If it decides to replace Bommai, the high command may look for someone who can work at ‘double speed’ in the next 12 months to take the party to victory. To achieve this, the party has to now focus on development and identify an able leader who has the charisma to woo voters.

The biggest question haunting the thinktank of the BJP and the RSS is whether the party can return to power with Bommai as CM? With age catching up, former CM and veteran leader, B.S.Yediyurappa seems more ideal for the ‘Marga Darshak’ team but his connect with voters and Lingayat/Veerashaiva seers is still amazing.

His popularity graph is far ahead of other Lingayat leaders like Jagadish Shettar, Basavaraj Bommai, Murgesh Nirani or Basangouda Patil Yatnal. While Shettar is a senior leader, he lacks the popularity of Yediyurappa; Bommai is neither a popular poll campaigner nor does he belong to a powerful sect within the Lingayats.

Nirani is a rich politician but does not enjoy the support of any state leader while Yatnal is a ‘loose cannon’ who however belongs to the powerful Panchamsali sect of the Lingayats. Dharwad MLA Arvind Bellad is a two term MLA and there is opposition from his own party leaders to his elevation as CM. The BJP President J.P. Nadda will have to take all these factors into consideration before replacing Bommai. With Yediyurappa crossing 79 last week, he is out of the race for the CM gaddi.

The high command would like to replace Bommai with another Lingayat as the community cannot be ignored at least by the saffron party. Nirani is trying to use the influence of the Panchamsali sect to push his name for CM and this has angered many BJP leaders. A BJP MLA told News Trail that it would be difficult for the party to retain power if it faces the 2023 elections under CM Bommai.

No doubt, the Shiggaon MLA is a nice man with a clean slate, but can he fetch votes is the question. People have not forgotten the debacle the BJP suffered in the Hangal bypoll-a constituency situated adjacent to the CM’s constituency.