Karnataka: Watch out Congress, BS Yeddyurappa, your nemesis is back!
BENGALURU: Within hours of being nominated as the new head of the BJP's state unit, taking over after a gap of five years, former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa made it clear that he was going to up the ante against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, describing him as “an irresponsible Chief Minister who is not bothered about problems of the people.”
“I can only say that our party will fight against this corrupt government,” he said on Saturday, buoyed by hundreds of party workers who gathered to cheer him on at the party office. Announcing plans to tour the state extensively to strengthen his party, Mr Yeddyurappa said “the Congress is disunited compared to the BJP.
There is no unity among their ministers, and hardly any enthusiasm among bureaucrats to work. The Opposition is strong and will fight against the corrupt Siddaramaiah government by strengthening the BJP in next two years before the state faces Assembly polls.
“We are strong,” he said, rubbishing suggestions that central leaders had picked him only to destabilize the government headed by Mr Siddaramaiah.
Yeddyurappa rises from the ashes
Well before he formally ascends the top position in the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party, Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yeddyurappa, will take the first step at strengthening his party’s support base in Bengaluru by addressing everyone who matter—from Members of Parliament to legislators and corporators on Sunday.
For, the IT hub has been a bastion of his party—three of the four MPs, most of the representatives of 28 Assembly seats, and 100 corporators belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Therefore, with his sight set on elections to the Legislative Assembly in 2018, the Lingayat strongman seems keen to galvanize his party colleagues beginning Sunday so that the party could record a clean weep in all Assembly seats two years hence.
Meanwhile, sources in the party explained that Mr Yeddyurappa was picked ahead of other contenders because he was a crowd-puller and one who could take up the cause of farmers through protest rallies across the state.
His colleagues had managed to put the state government on the mat on many issues inside legislature but had failed to make the most of anti-incumbency factor in recent local body polls because of lack of a strong leader like the former chief minister, sources added.
Congress’ DKS to checkmate BSY?
Will Congress leaders pick energy minister D.K. Shivakumar to checkmate former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa who has been appointed as state Bharatiya Janata Party president?
With central leaders of BJP making the first move on selection of the new state unit chief, the focus has now shifted to the state unit of the ruling Congress where home minister Dr G Parameshwar has completed more than five-and-half years at the helm.
Though sources maintain that central leaders would take a call on completion of Assembly polls in five states, Mr Shivakumar has been tirelessly lobbying for the post.
Sources said that just as Mr Yeddyurappa could go to any extent to win political battles, Mr Shivakumar, who has deep pockets, could match Mr Yeddyurappa in machinations. “He has successfully managed to cut of the roots of H.D. Kumaraswamy in Ramanagara district,” sources said.
