BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa‘s younger son B Y Vijayendra, a first-time MLA, was appointed Karnataka BJP president on Friday in what was seen as a bid to consolidate the party’s support base among Lingayats, the single-largest community in the state, and to bring about an electoral compact with new ally JD(S), which relies on the support of Vokkaligas, the second most dominant community in the state.
The appointment of Vijayendra, who is well regarded for his political acumen and organisational capability, comes months after his father was appointed as a member of the BJP parliamentary board, the highest decision-making body of the party.
Yediyurappa had been replaced as chief minister by Basavaraj Bommai, also a Lingayat, a few months before the state polls. However, the decision did not work in the favour of the BJP as it suffered a big defeat, faring below par even in Lingayat-dominated pockets.
Yediyurappa continues to be a leader with mass appeal and is most influential among Lingayats. The appointment of his son as state chief is seen as a step to win back support of the community, which will be crucial for the saffron party in the 2024 polls. BJP had swept general elections in 2019 winning 26 of 28 seats and its performance in the state will be crucial nationally.
48-year-old Vijayendra, a lawyer, replaced Nalin Kumar Kateel as state president whose ouster had looked on the cards since the party faced a drubbing in the state polls.
Vijayendra’s appointment is seen as a message to Yediyurappa‘s detractors that the party top brass continues to rely on his charisma and mass base as was seen during the state elections.Tshe conclusion of a formal alliance with JD(S) had raised the estimate of a Lingayat being brought in as state chief. The attention now shifts to who is appointed as the leader of the opposition. The post has, mysteriously, remained vacant.
Vijayendra is seen as a promising leader in Karnataka. In the run-up to the assembly polls, the party had given him the responsibility of mobilising and organising various morchas of the party.
The appointment of Vijayendra, who is well regarded for his political acumen and organisational capability, comes months after his father was appointed as a member of the BJP parliamentary board, the highest decision-making body of the party.
Yediyurappa had been replaced as chief minister by Basavaraj Bommai, also a Lingayat, a few months before the state polls. However, the decision did not work in the favour of the BJP as it suffered a big defeat, faring below par even in Lingayat-dominated pockets.
Yediyurappa continues to be a leader with mass appeal and is most influential among Lingayats. The appointment of his son as state chief is seen as a step to win back support of the community, which will be crucial for the saffron party in the 2024 polls. BJP had swept general elections in 2019 winning 26 of 28 seats and its performance in the state will be crucial nationally.
48-year-old Vijayendra, a lawyer, replaced Nalin Kumar Kateel as state president whose ouster had looked on the cards since the party faced a drubbing in the state polls.
Vijayendra’s appointment is seen as a message to Yediyurappa‘s detractors that the party top brass continues to rely on his charisma and mass base as was seen during the state elections.Tshe conclusion of a formal alliance with JD(S) had raised the estimate of a Lingayat being brought in as state chief. The attention now shifts to who is appointed as the leader of the opposition. The post has, mysteriously, remained vacant.
Vijayendra is seen as a promising leader in Karnataka. In the run-up to the assembly polls, the party had given him the responsibility of mobilising and organising various morchas of the party.