BY Vijayendra steps out of father BSY’s shadow, delivers Sira to BJP

It is a truism in Indian politics that ruling events have a tendency to do effectively in bypolls as they management the executive equipment. However, it could be a mistake to dismiss victories in two particular meeting segments that the BJP has received within the final one 12 months in Karnataka.

While it’s true that since November 2019 there have been 17 bypolls within the state and BJP has received 14. However, it’s the saffron occasion’s victory within the KR Pete seat final 12 months and the Sira seat now that actually stands out. The causes for which might be pretty easy.

The BJP has for lengthy been seen as a ‘Lingayat’ occasion, primarily due to the management of Yediyurappa, who belongs to the group. With a 17 per cent Lingayat inhabitants within the state, the occasion additionally has benefited from that notion.

The second is that the BJP has been a North Karnataka occasion with practically 81 of the 104 MLAs that received within the 2018 meeting polls coming from that a part of the state.

It has traditionally been weak in what’s seen because the ‘Old Mysuru region’ – comprising the districts which had been prior to now dominated by the Mysuru Wodeyar dynasty – and which by the way can be dominated by the Vokkaliga group.

Vokkaligas, at round 13 per cent of the state inhabitants, will not be solely the second largest group however they’ve largely been proof against the charms of the BJP regardless of the occasion’s greatest efforts. The JDS has all the time championed the group’s trigger and each time the occasion has fallen out of favour, Vokkaligas have tended to again the Congress.

For the BJP, which fell 10 seats wanting a easy majority in 2008 and in 2018, the necessity to increase its social base particularly within the Old Mysuru area and amongst the Vokkaligas is essential if it desires to dominate the state politics.

Which is the place, the wins in KR Pete of Mandya district final 12 months and Sira in Tumakuru now could be so vital. Both are Vokkaliga dominated and are within the outdated Mysuru area. Both are seen as bastions of Janata Dal (Secular) and the facility alternated between the regional occasion and the Congress.

In each the battles, the BJP entrusted the duty of successful these seats to the younger occasion vp Vijayendra. When final 12 months, KR Pete, the place JD(S) turncoat Narayana Gowda who helped BJP topple the Congress-JDS coalition stood for bypolls, the JD(S) vowed revenge. Vijavendra ensured victory of Narayan Gowda in opposition to odds nevertheless it was dismissed as a fluke.

Now, Vijayendra has repeated the feat in Sira the place the BJP had by no means even come second and largely misplaced deposit in all earlier polls. By making certain victory of its candidate Rajesh Gowda, Vijayendra has proved that he’s anyone to observe in Karnataka politics.

It has helped that he’s the son of chief minister Yediyurappa. At 45, he’s very younger by political requirements, articulate and has bought his father’s knack of taking folks alongside.

While his elder brother BY Raghavendra, the MP from Shivamogga, is seen as extra reserved, Vijayendra is seen as extra accessible by the occasion employees and public.

Given the political acumen he has displayed until now, most analysts, and even political opponents, consider that it’s Vijayendra who would be the heir of Yediyurappa’s political legacy. Vijayendra has, in a current chat with HT, dismissed such hypothesis, saying that the household is united and that there isn’t any inside rivalry.

But additionally it is more and more clear that Vijayendra is making an attempt to carve out a distinct segment for himself and step out of his father’s shadow. Vijayendra just isn’t with out his share of controversies, with the opposition accusing him of being the tremendous CM and in addition being concerned in corruption, which he dismisses because the “price I pay for being the bridge between the CM and people as well as party workers”.

There is a rising clamour for Vijayendra to contest the Basva Kalyan bypoll which is prone to happen within the subsequent few months. The incumbent Congress MLA Narayana Rao handed away attributable to Covid and the BJP should discover a candidate for the seat.

In the 2018 meeting ballot too, Vijayendra was an aspirant for the Varuna constituency which was ultimately received by one other former CM’s son Yathindra Siddaramiah. Even as CM Yediyurappa dismissed hypothesis that Vijayendra can be fielded from Basva Kalyan, the formidable son himself is extra cautious and says “will take up any responsibility given by the party”.

For Vijayendra, the problem can be to proceed rising an id exterior of his father Yediyurappa and on the identical time inherit his political mantle as a frontrunner of Lingayats and past. How profitable he’s on this journey would decide his political future.