Taking lesson from Himachal, BJP to involve Yediyurappa in Karnataka campaign

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided not to repeat the mistake of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls campaign in Karnataka. The saffron unit has decided to seek the services of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa for the forthcoming election. This is in contrast to the complete sidelining of the Himachal strongman Prem Kumar Dhumal during the party's recent losing campaign in the North Indian state.

Yediyurappa is considered to be the face of the BJP in Karnataka and the leader who had toiled hard over decades to establish the saffron party in its southern bastion. Along with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the senior leader is understood to be actively involved in the strategic planning for the Assembly polls scheduled for early next year. Yediyurappa is also expected to play a big part in the ticket distribution and finalization of candidates and is learnt to be regularly briefing the top central leadership on Karnataka affairs.

Party feels that the non-utilization of Prem Kumar Dhumal in Himachal cost the saffron front several seats. If the party had taken him into confidence and used his experience in strategy finalization and candidate selection it would have helped the BJP. The saffron unit now wants to avoid such mistakes in Karnataka, sources said.

The saffron front is treading carefully as the BJP wants to make a comeback in its southern Indian bastion in the 2023 Assembly polls. The return to power in Karnataka will be crucial as the party plans to expand its footprint in the south in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

In an indication of confidence in his leadership and Yediyurappa’s larger role in the 2023 Assembly polls and 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Central leadership of the BJP had recently inducted him into the highest decision-making bodies of the saffron unit, the parliamentary board and the central election committee.

The BJP leadership certainly values Yediyurappa’s strengths and wants to utilize him. The party wants to reap as much as from him during the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, sources said.

Winning in Karnataka is on the priority list for the BJP’s top leadership with party chief JP Nadda on a Karnataka tour today. This will be one of the many trips that he is expected to take over the next few months.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also held extensive meetings with Karnataka CM Bommai on various issues yesterday. Party strategy and issues related to the current border rift with Maharashtra are also understood to have been discussed.

Incidentally, BJP’s national general secretary organization BL Santhosh also hails from the state and the outcome could have an effect on his future standing as well, sources pointed out.

Party sources stated that it is very important for the party to save its southern bastion. The internal survey has revealed that the party is falling short of the magic figure by about 20 odd seats, sources said.

Interestingly, Karnataka polls are also being fought seriously by Congress with its new chief Mallikarjun Kharge hailing from the state.  While BJP chief Nadda wasn’t able to secure a victory for the saffron front on his home front, Kharge is hoping to win the southern state for the Congress. The Congress chief’s seriousness over the issue can be gauged from the fact that he has already held several meetings with state leaders to discuss the forthcoming Assembly polls in his home state. Party sources stated that similar high-level meets are also scheduled to take place over the next few weeks.

The 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly is set to go to polls in early 2023. Karnataka was the first state to have elected a BJP government in South India and is considered to be immensely important for the BJP which plans to expand its base in southern India.

The BJP is planning a massive expansion in South India with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The party has set a target of winning 100 seats in Lok Sabha from the five southern states of the country.