Wants to bolster BJP in Karnataka
Powerful lingayat leader and first time Member of Parliament from Shimoga in Karnataka, BS Yeddyurappa, by writing a letter on Thursday to Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, has opted out from any Cabinet post but wants to work to strengthen the party in Karnataka.
Sixty-two year-old Yeddyurappa, who won with a huge margin of over 3.6 lakh votes, has made it clear in his letter which was released to the media that as per the wishes of Modi, he wants to work for the party in the State.
He said, “I am writing this letter with great sense of responsibility and humility subsequent to our interaction at Gujarat Bhavan as well as after listening to your speech at the Central Hall.”
“You further expressed that since the expectations and aspirations are too high across the country, at least few capable leaders must come forward to take the responsibility and work towards strengthening the party in their respective States. As you expressed in general, I wholeheartedly offer my willingness to work towards strengthening the party in Karnataka,” he added in his brief letter to Modi.
According to a senior BJP leader, Yeddyurappa came to know his chances were bleak to make it to the Modi Cabinet, hence he volunteered to take responsibility of the State party.
Yeddyurappa, an RSS pracharak, who made it to the hot seat of Chief Minister, had to quit his post due to his direct involvement in alleged illegal mining scam and rejoined the party just few days before elections with stiff resistance from few senior leaders. He was finally brought back to the party on behest of Modi which paid its dividend. However, the results proved his strength along with Modi wave as all his candidates got elected and now he wants to take control of the party affairs in the State.
Yeddyurappa had also met RSS leaders in Bangalore a few days back in his quest to make it to the Modi Cabinet. But the letter clearly indicates that he wants to take control of the party in State. In fact, it was suggestive that he would want to be State president of the party. The BJP won 17 seats trouncing the Congress in the State. The Congress managed only nine and the JD(S) secured 2 in the recently held general elections.
looking at the changing prospects for the party in the post Modi era, Yeddyurappa who helped the party to re build its image, wants to lead the party which has taken the Congress head-on proving a point. According to BJP sources, Yeddyurappa’s name did not figure in the list of probable and so he had decided to opt out to play his politics in the State.