Yediyurappa appointed to top BJP panel ahead of K’taka polls, will focus on other south states

India

pti-PTI

Bengaluru, Aug 17:
Former
chief
minister
B
S
Yediyurappa
on
Wednesday
vowed
to
bring
the
BJP
back
to
power
in
Karnataka
and
to
strengthen
it
in
the
rest
of
south
India,
following
his
appointment
to
the
highest
decision-making
body
of
the
party
ahead
of
2023
state
assembly
polls.

The
appointment
seemed
like
it
had
in
some
way
brought
back
the
glory
that
the
state
BJP
strongman
enjoyed
during
his
heydays
in
power,
along
with
the
rare
smile
on
his
face,
as
many
party
leaders,
legislators
and
ministers,
including
Chief
Minister
Basavaraj
Bommai
made
a
beeline
to
his
residence
to
congratulate
and
greet
him.
The
BJP
on
Wednesday
announced
the
appointment
of
the
79-year-old
leader
to
its
Parliamentary
Board
and
Central
Election
Committee.

“I
have
been
given
a
huge
responsibility
by
the
party’s
leadership,
I
had
never
expected
any
position.
After
resigning
as
Chief
Minister,
my
only
aim
was
to
bring
the
BJP
back
to
power
in
Karnataka.
When
I
spoke
to
the
Prime
Minister,
he
asked
to
focus
on
other
south
Indian
states
too,”
Yediyurappa
said.
Speaking
to
reporters
here
flanked
by
Bommai
and
several
party
leaders,
the
former
chief
minister
said
he
accepts
the
responsibilities
given
to
him
with
utmost
humility
and
will
travel
extensively,
and
strive
towards
bringing
BJP
back
to
power
in
Karnataka
and
strengthen
it
in
other
south
Indian
states.

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“I’m
the
best
example
to
say
that
BJP
will
not
leave
its
active
ordinary
karyakarta.
I
don’t
believe
that
politics
and
public
life
are
areas
of
retirement
and
our
leaders
have
attested
it…
I
will
work
for
the
party
and
organisation
till
my
last
breath,”
he
added.
According
to
Yediyurappa’s
office,
he
spoke
to
Modi
over
phone
thanking
him,
and
the
Prime
Minister
in
turn
said
his
service
was
required
to
strengthen
the
party
and
bring
it
to
power
not
only
in
Karnataka,
but
throughout
south
India.

The
veteran
leader
had
resigned
as
Chief
Minister
on
July
26,
2021.
Age
was
seen
as
a
primary
factor
for
his
exit
from
the
top
job,
with
an
unwritten
rule
in
the
BJP
of
keeping
out
those
above
75
years
from
elected
offices;
also,
the
party
high
command
wanted
to
make
way
for
fresh
leadership
ahead
of
the
assembly
polls.
Many
in
the
party
circles
feel
that
it
is
an
attempt
by
the
BJP
leadership
to
send
out
a
message
that
it
still
has
high
regard
for
the
veteran
leader
and
was
keen
to
utilise
his
experience
and
mentorship,
amid
allegations
by
some
sections,
especially
opposition
Congress
about
the
Lingayat
strongman
being
sidelined.

The
move
by
the
party
leadership
gains
even
more
significance,
as
it
comes
following
Yediyurappa
recently
signalling
the
end
of
his
innings
in
electoral
politics
by
stating
that
he
will
vacate
his
Shikaripura
assembly
seat
for
son
B
Y
Vijayendra,
if
the
party
fields
him
in
the
2023
state
assembly
polls.
Following
the
announcement
about
retiring
from
electoral
politics,
Union
Home
Minister
Amit
Shah
had
met
Yediyurappa
earlier
this
month
during
his
visit
to
Bengaluru,
and
is
said
to
have
held
discussions
in
this
regard.

Sources
said
the
leadership
wanted
to
ensure
that
Yediyurappa
doesn’t
feel
sidelined,
as
it
fears
adverse
implications
for
the
party
in
the
polls,
in
the
event
of
the
veteran
leader
choosing
to
remain
inactive.
It
also
puts
Yediyurappa
at
an
“advantage”,
as
he
looks
to
secure
the
political
future
of
his
younger
son
Vijayendra,
his
political
heir
apparent.
Elder
son
B
Y
Raghavendra
is
currently
the
Member
of
Parliament
from
Shivamogga.

“It
is
certainly
an
elevation
for
Yediyurappa
when
everyone
was
expecting
the
end
of
his
politics.
The
party
certainly
realises
his
need
and
strength,
and
wants
to
utilise
it.
The
leadership
wants
to
keep
him
in
good
books
and
reap
as
much
benefit
as
it
can
in
favour
of
BJP
during
the
assembly
polls,”
a
BJP
functionary
said.
By
projecting
that
Yediyurappa
is
being
sidelined
by
BJP,
the
Congress
had
planned
to
attract
votes
of
Lingayats,
the
dominant
community
which
forms
the
strong
vote
base
of
the
saffron
party
in
the
state,
in
their
favour,
a
BJP
leader
said.

“Now,
by
inducting
Yediyurappa
into
the
top
decision-making
bodies
of
the
party,
it
has
been
completely
outwitted,”
the
party
leader
said.
Though
Chief
Minister
Basavaraj
Bommai
is
also
a
Lingayat,
the
sway
Yediyurappa
holds
over
the
community
cannot
be
disregarded,
a
leader
said,
adding,
“He
is
still
the
tallest
leader
not
only
from
the
community,
but
he
is
also
a
mass
leader.

Responding
to
a
question
regarding
the
party
looking
for
his
service,
despite
him
crossing
75
years,
Yediyurappa
said
the
BJP
has
given
him
all
kinds
of
position
and
respect,
and
had
never
sidelined
or
neglected
him.
“Now,
it
has
given
me
a
new
responsibility,
keeping
faith,
when
I
was
working
like
an
ordinary
karyakarta….
God
has
given
me
strength
to
travel
across
the
state
and
country
for
10
more
years…
I
will
work
to
strengthen
the
party
with
other
leaders,
until
my
hands
and
legs
are
strong,”
he
added.

Asked
whether
he
has
been
given
the
new
positions
to
pacify
and
boost
him,
so
that
he
campaigns
for
the
party,
Yediyurappa
said
such
a
question
does
not
arise
at
all,
and
that
the
leadership
was
aware
that
he
is
working
without
expecting
any
position.
“I
will
fulfill
the
expectations
that
the
leadership
has
in
me…you
will
see
how
the
current
will
pass,
how
the
environment
will
change
in
a
few
days.
Some
people
(Congress
leaders
Siddaramaiah
and
D
K
Shivakumar)
are
in
illusion
that
they
have
already
become
CM,
they
will
be
disappointed,”
he
said.
“I
will
fulfill
the
expectations
that
the
leadership
has
in
me…you
will
see
how
the
current
will
pass,
how
the
environment
will
change
in
a
few
days.

To
a
question
about
the
Congress
stating
that
the
BJP
has
no
future
as
Yediyurappa
has
exited,
he
said,
“What
will
they
say
now?…it
is
certain
Modi
will
become
PM
once
again
in
2024
and
in
Karnataka,
we
will
get
more
than
140
seats
and
come
back
to
power.
You
will
soon
see
public
support
for
us.”

Complementing
the
incumbent
Chief
Minister,
Yediyurappa,
in
response
to
a
question
about
him
repeatedly
highlighting
on
collective
leadership
despite
the
high
command
stating
that
Bommai
will
be
the
face,
said,
“There
is
no
difference
in
it,
Bommai
and
collective
leadership
is
the
same
as
we
are
all
one…who
is
our
leader?
It
is
CM
Bommai.
We
will
travel
the
state
keeping
him
at
the
front.”

Complementing
the
incumbent
Chief
Minister,
Yediyurappa,
in
response
to
a
question
about
him
repeatedly
highlighting
on
collective
leadership
despite
the
high
command
stating
that
Bommai
will
be
the
face,
said,
“There
is
no
difference
in
it,
Bommai
and
collective
leadership
is
the
same
as
we
are
all
one…who
is
our
leader?

Congratulating
Yediyurappa
and
thanking
the
party
leadership,
CM
Bommai
said
the
veteran
leader’s
appointment
will
boost
the
morale
of
Karnataka
BJP
karyakartas
and
rejuvenate
them
for
the
upcoming
assembly
elections.