Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on July 26 submitted his resignation to the state’s Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot. He announced his resignation at the event organised to celebrate the second anniversary of the BJP government in the state. The Council of Ministers has also been dissolved by the governor.

After submitting his resignation to the governor, Yediyurappa said the party will decide on the next chief minister.

Yediyurappa had completed two years of the BJP-led government’s present term (July 26, 2019, to July 26, 2021). He made an emotional speech and even broke down at the special event organised to showcase his government's two-year performance at the Vidhana Soudha.

Why Did Yediyurappa Quit?

A section of the Karnataka BJP leadership had been asking Yediyurappa to quit for various reasons. There were corruption allegations against his family members.

However, the BJP maintains that the party is worried about the 78-year-old leader’s health. Also, as party policy, leaders above the age of 75 years are not allowed to hold important posts including that of chief minister. Several reports suggest the BJP wants a young leader in the state.

Jinxed CM

This was Yediyurappa’s fourth term as chief minister. His first term as CM was from November 12, 2007, to November 19, 2007; second term from May 30, 2008, to August 04, 2011; and his third term was from May 17, 2018 to May 23, 2018.

However, the septuagenarian leader responsible for building BJP’s heft in Karnataka and bringing the party to power several times has not completed a single full term in office as its chief minister.

He briefly left the BJP in 2012 and floated his own party, the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP). The KJP won only six seats while BJP got 40 in the 2013 Assembly elections. The BJP leadership held Yediyurappa responsible for this loss. Though eventually he returned to the mother ship, the sangh parivaar and the top party leadership never forgot this drubbing.

The Importance of Being Yediyurappa

Soon after Yediyurappa’s resignation as chief minister, there was a shutdown in Shikaripura, the Assembly constituency in Shivamogga district which he has represented seven times. BJP workers shouted slogans in his support.

Yediyurappa’s strength comes from his clout among the Lingayat community. He brought the BJP back to power on the basis of caste equations and his connections within the community.

He was instrumental in ensuring the fall of the H.D. Kumaraswamy-headed Congress-JD(S) coalition in July 2019 after they assumed office in the middle of May 2018.

Through Operation Kamala, Yediyurappa didn't allow Kumaraswamy to last as CM for a long time and also showed the BJP’s central leadership that he is the most important and veritably irreplaceable in Karnataka politics.

List of Contenders

The BJP central leadership will decide on the next CM in the next two or three days. Karnataka Minister for Mines and Geology Murugesh Nirani (56), a three-time MLA from Bilgi seat in Bagalkot, is the frontrunner as he belongs to the Panchamshali sect, the largest in the Lingayat community. He started his public life as a worker of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Karnataka Deputy CM C.N. Ashwath Narayan (52) is a qualified doctor. He comes from the Vokkaliga community and has been the MLA from Malleshwaram since over a decade.

Veteran RSS and BJP leader Chandrakant Bellad's son Arvind (51) is a two-time MLA from Hubli-Dharwad. He has an engineering degree and a post-graduation degree from France. He belongs to the Panchamasali Lingayat sect also. As BJP is looking for a young face, Arvind could be the BJP’s best choice.

BJP National General Secretary C.T. Ravi (54) is from the Vokkaliga community. He is a four-time MLA from Chikkmagaluru.

State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai (61), son of former CM and Janata party leader S.R. Bommai, is a close aide of Yediyurappa. He has worked with former CMs H.D. Devegowda and Ramakrishna Hegde.

Union Minister for Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi (58) is a four-time MP from Dharwad. He is a Brahmin and known to be close to the central leadership.

BJP National General Secretary B.L. Santhosh is an engineer who joined the RSS as a full-time volunteer. He is a Brahmin from Udupi and was seen as a rival of Yediyurappa.

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)

First Published:Jul 26, 2021 8:33 PM IST