Narayana Swamy
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Feb 23: Karnataka's ruling party Bharatiya Janatha Party's politics has taken a new but curious mode, with former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa proving his support from fellow BJP MLAs with at least 62 of them attending the lunch meet organised by him at his Race Course residence in Bangalore on Thursday February 23.
Those who have been closely following Karnataka politics ever since BJP came to power in the state back in 2008, have seen several turns in the party's political map. The dissidents never allowed Yeddyurappa to rule peacefully and in every step Yeddyurappa faced problems, more from his own people than the opposition. First, Janardhana Reddy hijacked a few MLAs in what was called 'resort' politics and blackmailed Yeddyurappa. Another Lingayat leader of BJP, Jagadish Shettar, supported the Reddys, and became a strong contender for the CM post. He was strongly backed by MP Ananth Kumar too.
Later, there was one more round of resort politics by a few politicians, instigated by Kumaraswamy, the former CM and JD(S) chief of Karnataka.
Finally, Yeddyurappa had to bow down to high command's pressure after Lokayukta named him in the land scam. But he managed to nominate Sadanada Gowda to the CM post considering Gowda as his own man!
Alas! Now comes the turning point. How caste politics in Karnataka can take wings and change the entire political scenario is best epitomised here. Truly, nothing works in front of caste politics!
Last week, Gokak's Lingayat meet had kept Yeddyurappa out, while CM Sadananda Gowda attended the event. Fearing loss of popularity within his own community, Yeddyurappa was furious that he was invited just as an audience and not as guest! The CM who had poured money on Veerashaiva mutts around the state had been ignored! This prompted Yeddyurappa to revolt once again, and put forward his demand in front of the high command for the CM post, and bring DVS down immediately.
As a decisive step, he visited Kashi on February 21. "I will give you sweet news when I come back," Yeddyurappa promised the media before going to Kashi. And now the sweet news is that, he has called for a lunch meet at his race course residence.
The meet, going on at the time of this news goes online, was attended by around 62 MLAs.
The big news emerging from this meet is, Yeddyurappa has made a compromise with his political rival, Lingayat leader Jagadish Shattar. A strong contestant for the CM post who lost it because of Yeddyurappa in last August, has now joined hands with BSY.
And what is the reason for Shettar shaking hands with Yeddyurappa ?
Well, Yeddyurappa has reportedly invited Shettar saying, "Forget the past my dear friend, our own community is neglecting us, and Vokkaloga leader (Sadananda Gowda) is dominating in our community too. If the high command does not want to give me the CM post, no problem, I will support you. You become the CM, let us unitedly bring DVS down." This may not be the exact version, but the summary of Yeddyurappa's promise to Shettar.
The purpose of today's lunch meet is to prove to the media that Yeddyurappa has majority MLAs' support, and also to signal to the high command that now time has come to bring him back to power.
Though leaders like Eshwarappa, president of state BJP, CT Ravi, and others claim there is no dissident within the party, and this just a 'lunch meeting' and nothing more, indications are clear that strong efforts are going on to bring DVS down.
Some sources reported that Sadananda Gowda has been closely associated with Deve Gowda of late, and is ruling the state according to the advice of Deve Gowda. This is another issue that instigated Yeddyurappa to revolt against Sadananda Gowda.
Sadananda Gowda, who is currently attending a convocation programme in Mangalore University at Konaje, is not worried about the meeting. Speaking to Daijiworld correspondent, he said that Yeddyurappa had invited him too for the lunch, but he could not attend. He pointed out that state BJP chief Eshwarappa is attending the same, so this was not to prove Yeddyurappa's support, but just a cordial lunch meet. "I would have attended had I been in Bangalore," he said.
Interestingly, except Laxmi Narayan, Byndoor MLA, no other BJP MLA or MLCs from the coastal region have attended the meeting. Some ministers like Ananda Asnotikar, Jarikoli, Reddy group MLAs, and others too have not attended.