Commentary: The Karnataka Crisis

What is coming from the Indian state of Karnataka is not good for veteran BJP leader and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

It seems that the Karnataka Chief Minister, who is preparing to celebrate his 77th birthday in a grand manner, may have to prepare himself for a leadership battle in the near future itself.

Recently, a BJP lawmaker, from Karnataka, who is unhappy with the present leadership of the state, has expressed his intention to meet the central leadership to express his disappointment towards the Yediyurappa-led government.

Few days back, some BJP MLAs – primarily, those who were denied seats in the present ministry – met at the residence of Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar.

Some of them earlier approached certain central leadership with their plight.

As per a preliminary assumption, the BJP central leadership is unwilling to entertain any dissident voice against Mr. Yediyurappa – who played a pivotal role in helping the party, which is commonly considered a northern party, establish a firm foot print the southern region of the country (popularly known as the South India).

It is assumed that what the dissident MLAs from Karnataka wants really is a leadership change. They may attempt to concentrate their argument around the point that the continuation of a 77 year old leader as a CM of the party is against the declared policy of the party.

Anyway, the big question remains is: does the BJP in the state has any powerful leader who is capable to act as a perfect alternative to the present CM.

Needless to say, the Delhi episode has disturbed the BJP largely. At this moment, the saffron party is not powerful enough to perform an experiment with any of the states where it is comfortably in the seat of power.

The Karnataka politics is entirely different from those in the rest of the country. It hinges largely on two main caste groups in the region.

Mr. Yediyurappa is the favourite man of one of these caste groups, which constitutes the base of the BJP’s vote base in the state.

How long can the BJP shut its eyes towards this man keeping a deaf ear towards its lawmakers and ignoring its own established policy of keeping its leadership youthful is yet to be seen.

The political stage of Karnataka is set for another drama.

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