- All those politically inclined people in Karnataka and beyond would find it not surprising at all as other behind-the-scenes manipulations to displace the Bharatiya Janata Party’s patriarch and the incumbent Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is underway currently. The way with which the talismanic leader assumed power under what circumstances as the Chief Minister is well known across the country. The ignominy of hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons throughout the period till now has indeed besmirched the reputation of the tallest BJP leader in the state known to survive amid challenging political churnings.
PC: Venkatesha Babu
- That Yediyurappa could persevere facing stiff opposition from within as well as political opponents with a single-minded burning ambition to occupy the CM’s chair speaks volumes about his survival instinct fighting against all odds. However, the path has been anything but rosy for the Lingayat leader ever since assuming the office. He has either confronted one or the other form of the debilitating natural disaster or energy-sapping diabolically simmering political machinations from diverse power centers hell-bent on testing the staying powers of the man. The raging pandemic has only added to the misery offering even more challengingly testing ability and resolve of the man having to front the fight in the backdrop of the stuttering economy and blood-baying opposition.
- As the entire state machinery is geared up to keep the virulent virus at bay, there are reports of renewed attempts by the disgruntled ministers and legislators to oversee the departure of Yediyurappa by raking up the issue of change of leadership at the most inopportune time. There were many such attempts resorted to earlier as well though the overwhelming support enjoyed by the leader amongst his loyal supporters stood him in good stead to stay afloat. In hindsight, his decision to break the opposition ranks by weaning away elected legislators to resign and recontest on BJP tickets has only caused a huge amount of heartburning amongst loyalists.
PC: Mary Van Beusekom
- Though the party hopping legislators from opposition parties were promised ticket and ministerial berths after winning the byelections, which was duly honored, the glaring differences, as well as lack of harmony between the insiders and outsiders, is coming out in the open often. Alleged interference of the CM’s high-profile son in matters related to the functioning of the day-to-day administration of various departments is hardly helping the perception of once indefatigable leadership skills of the former gradually appearing on the wane. Nevertheless, the political aspirations of leaders should not come in the way of handling the pandemic situation which has debilitatingly scarred the entire Karnataka in more than one way.
- Citizens expect political leaders to set aside differences and present uniform strategy to ensure their lives returns to normalcy sooner than later. Giving untimely importance to parochial considerations during these exceedingly hard times is not only ill-advised on the part of opportunists but also contritely exposes the contemptuously brazen hankering for one-upmanship during duress. Hopefully, the BJP high command steps in time to quell the growing dissension and strictly advise every aspirational legislator to concentrate on undertaking assigned tasks of providing relief to the suffering people. Politics can be played out later.
