Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Mar 29: There is no question that Yeddyurappa happens to be the most known face of the BJP in the state and his stature as the most prominent among BJP leaders is unquestionable. At a time when the party is actively mulling the issue of crowning a person who is generally acceptable to the party cadres as the state president, Yeddyurappa's choice should have been unanimous.
However, there have been several top rung leaders who have struck a discordant note. While these leaders have no qualms about making Yeddy the consensus candidate as the next chief minister of Karnataka, they are not comfortable with the thought of seeing him in the role of state president of the party.
Many of these leaders are apprehensive about the possibility of Yeddyurappa snatching the initiative, appointing his men in key party posts, and intimidating and overriding others in the party whom he dislikes. It is said that the Sangh Parivar leaders too have concerns over this possibility. Therefore, the notion of promising him to project as the next chief minister, and keeping him away from the top organizational post in the party in Karnataka for the present, is gaining support. However, in all probability, Yeddyurappa may reject this proposal outright, political analyzers have warned.
At the same time, many of senior BJP leaders have no objections about Yeddyurappa becoming the party candidate for the next chief ministership, as they believe that he has the capability to revive fortunes of the party in the state and snatch the power again. Some of them admit that Yeddy has mellowed down a lot after he stepped down as chief minister of the state. Still, many of these leaders, who assert that they are feeling this on the basis of previous experience, are afraid that once he become state BJP president, Yeddyurappa may try to control everyone through his faithful cronies.
One therefore expects Yeddyurappa to speak to top party leaders and reassure them that he would not revert to his old ways. But those who know the former chief minster say that chances of Yeddy making compromises are less. Therefore, many of the leaders are increasingly favouring the idea of making him the chief ministerial candidate and handing over state presidentship to someone else, so that he would be available continuously for campaigning for the party. At the same time, none of these leaders are confident of winning the next election without the support of Yeddyurappa.
But, chances of the former chief minister accepting this suggestion are are bleak. If he is made the party's state unit president, Yeddy can play a decisive role in electing party candidates and issuing party tickets to them, but a chief ministerial candidate does not wield these powers. So, if people who are not in his good books become legislators, chances are that they may support someone else to become the next chief minsister.
Moreover, the next assembly election is two years away, and announcing him as the next chief ministerial candidate is not practicable for the present, as the norm is to announce the name of the candidate at the time of the election. Yeddyurappa's supporters do not have the patience to wait till then in the side wings before occupying the centrre stage, as in political field, two years is a pretty long time during which many unexpected things can happen.