B S Yediyurappa Resigns, New CM For Karnataka By Evening
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2021-07-26 07:56:56
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Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
After days of intense speculation and media reports that were confirmed by him, B S Yediyurappa today resigned as chief minister of Karnataka after completing two years at the helm in his fourth term. Yediyurappa thanked PM Modi, Amit Shah and J P Nadda for giving him the opportunity and said that he was leaving with happiness and not in grief. While announcing his decision to resign at a function to present the two-year report card of his government, Yediyurappa said he will meet the Governor later in the day to complete the formalities.
Speculation about Yediyurappa's removal was rife in political circles in the state. He was accused of favouring the Congress turncoats and ignoring the rightful demands of the BJP leaders. Also, Yediyurappa's advancing age went against him. But there is no doubt that he is the tallest BJP leader in the state and that is why he was made the chief minister two years back although leaders younger than him had been forced to retire earlier. Also, he has immense clout in the Lingayat community who are BJP's main vote bank in Karnataka.
If the Lingayats have their way, then Basangouda Patil , Arvind Bellad and Murugesh Nirani are being projected as frontrunners. If not, then there are many other candidates in the line, including former Union minister D V Sadananda Gowda and Karnataka home minister Basavaraj Bommai. But it remains to be seen whether the BP high command will ignore the demands of the Lingayat community.
The party is likely to hold a meeting in the evening to decide the successor to Yediyurappa. Being a senior leader, it is expected his views will also be taken into account. Yediyurappa said that he has not given anyone's name to the high command to be his successor. Whoever the party decides upon is likely to lead the party in the state elections in 2023. Since the BJP could not get an absolute majority in 2018, it will have to work hard in the next two years under a new leader to win the confidence of the people.
