As discussion rages around the removal of Chief Minister Yediyurappa from his post, BJP leaders have clarified ‘that there is no question of a change in leadership.’ The moment the Yediyurappa-led BJP government completed one year in office, one faction presented a proposal for ‘leadership change.’ It was demanded that Yediyurappa should lay down office and transfer power to another leader as part of an understanding during the time of the formation of the government. The names of leaders such as Lakshman Savadi, Nalin Kumar Kateel, B.L. Santosh and others were floated for the post of the Chief Minister. The demand also received a boost because of the Opposition allegations about irregularities in the purchase of medical equipment during the Coronavirus pandemic. It is suspected that the leaders opposed to Yediyurappa in the BJP handed over the documents relating financial irregularities to the opposition leaders. All this proves beyond doubt that there is a silent attempt in the BJP to unseat Yediyurappa and it is also not a secret anymore that the Santosh-led RSS faction is behind such an attempt.

The RSS has decades of history of trying to free the BJP from the shackles of Yediyurappa and taking complete control over the party. In the past, the RSS first tried to make Anant Kumar the Chief Minister and later Santosh. This is part of the Brahmin-Lingayat power struggle within the State BJP.  However, the strong Lingayat backing for Yediyurappa has so far defeated the attempts of RSS. 

Some forces within the BJP have brought to the fore discussions about how far Yediyurappa has succeeded in his one year of administration. To make him the fall guy, they are trying to hold him responsible for various failures of the government. When Yediyurappa sought central assistance for flood relief last year, the BJP MPs had obstructed such a demand stating that there is no need for financial assistance as the state treasury was flush with funds. If all MPs of the state were united in pressurising the Centre, the state would have received not only funds for flood relief but also its share of GST. It is generally believed that if the same party is in power in the states as well as at the Centre, it would be beneficial to the states. Moreover, Karnataka has all but three of its Lok Sabha MPs from the BJP. The Centre should have thus treated Karnataka favourably. Unfortunately, instead of championing the State’s causes, most of the BJP MPs seem to be more interested in appeasing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Thus, when the Coronavirus crisis began, Karnataka was facing a serious financial crunch.

Despite this, the Yediyurappa-led government came out with a plan of action. Today, compared to other BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka is in a better position. It is surprising that Karnataka with its empty coffers managed to achieve even this much. Perhaps, Yediyurappa’s vast political experience, maturity, and acumen was responsible for this. It is by no measure a small achievement for Yediyurappa to have completed one year enduring the harassment he faced from within the party.

The biggest obstacle for the BJP in replacing Yediyurappa is the absence of an alternative leader to succeed him. During the BJP’s first term in Government between 2008-2013, when Yediyurappa stepped down as the Chief Minister, the party had to appoint Sadananda Gowda as his successor first, and later Jagadish Shettar. Subsequently, when Yediyurappa left the BJP, the party suffered heavy losses. The BJP needed Yediyurappa to rejoin the party for it to come back to power and had no choice but to agree to make him the Chief Minister after 2018 elections. Yediyurappa has not only the unstinted support of Lingayats but also a long political history of pro-farmer agitations. Unlike other leaders in the BJP, he did not grow by spreading communal poison. He acquired his present stature through political struggles. His political views were shaped during his long association with many senior leaders. This is the reason why the rebels within the BJP are not bold enough to face Yediyurappa directly. Instead, they seem to be operating clandestinely in association with the RSS. Besides, nobody in the BJP has the courage to take over the mantle of the Government in Karnataka that is in tatters with the onset of the Coronavirus and repeated lockdowns. Even if Yediyurappa is removed from office and another leader appointed as the Chief Minister, RSS leaders would continue backseat driving. Though the RSS hatched a plot to replace Yediyurappa with a leader who could implement their agenda, it had to withdraw its plan in the absence of the support of the Central leadership. It is rumoured that the Yediyurappa faction has issued a clear warning to the leaders against the RSS attempt. Because of this, BJP leaders are repeatedly insisting that there is no question of a change in leadership. This means that the leaders are aware of the threat that Yediyurappa could pose by rebelling against the party and engineering a split if he is replaced before the term ends. It appears that the BJP has decided to continue Yediyurappa as the Chief Minister for the next three years and bid him a graceful farewell. But it remains to be seen if Yediyurappa will accept political retirement or if he would lay the foundation for an alternative government using his massive Lingayat support base.

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