Team BSY to helm BJP’s election campaign in Karnataka
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, March 10: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has got all hands on the deck to lead the party’s election campaign in Karnataka, with former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa getting all hands of his erstwhile team in action. The BJP on Friday announced a 25-member election campaign committee headed by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. The party also announced a 14-member election management committee, which is headed by Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje.
“The two committees have everyone who matter in Karnataka politics. Former chief ministers, MPs, MLAs and representatives of several factions have been accommodated in the two committees. The effort is to take all along in the election campaign and respect the stature of everyone who have any stake in the state politics,” said a senior BJP functionary.
While Yediyurappa has the place of pride in the election campaign committee, his son BY Vijayendra has also found a place in the team. Vijayendra is also likely to contest the Assembly election. The campaign management committee is headed by Karandlaje, who is known to be the protégé of Yediyurappa. Several of the Yediyurappa loyalists find places in the two teams announced by the party on Friday.
B. Sriramulu, the state minister, who is seen to be a dissident within the state BJP, has also been included in the election campaign committee. Sriramulu hails from the Valmiki community within the scheduled tribes, having influence in about 35 Assembly seats. He had a few weeks ago praised former state chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah, raising eyebrows within the saffron outfit.
With Bommai being the chairman of the election campaign committee, the BJP has dropped enough hints that he would be the party’s choice for the post of the chief minister if the saffron outfits manages to beat the anti-incumbency factor and retain power in the state. Bommai is seen to be backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah even while there has been demands from a section of the party leaders to promote alternative leadership.
The BJP MP Tejaswi Surya is notably missing from both the lists even while there are a few MPs, who have been included in the two committees. Surya is also seen to be missing from the action within the party for past few months.
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