Amid rumours of a change of guard in Karnataka, an audio clip, purportedly of a conversation between state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel and his confidant, that surfaced on social media has created a flutter in the political circles.
The recorded conversation has indicated that the Yediyurappa government is slated for a major overhaul and the party leadership is in the process of picking one of the three names shortlisted for the chief minister's post. The audio also reveals that the successor to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa will be someone who is now in Delhi.
The revelation that old-timers like former chief minister and Jagadish Shettar (now industries minister) and former deputy chief minister K.S. Eshwarappa (now RDPR minister), will be dropped from the cabinet and a "new team" will be installed has signalled to a generational shift in the saffron party.
The induction of younger faces in the Union cabinet has kindled the hopes of the younger breed of politicians in the state BJP too. While, speculations are rife over the senior ministers (including those who jumped ship from the Congress and the JD(S) during Operation Kamala in July 2019) being dropped from the cabinet to accommodate youngsters and party loyalists, the list of CM probables is only growing longer with the party high command buying time to make a politically prudent decision of choosing the right successor. While the names of Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, MP Shivakumar Udasi, BJP national general secretary C.T. Ravi, MLA Aravind Bellad, Assembly Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, deputy chief minister Govind Karjol, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Mines and Geology minister Murugesh Nirani are being floated, going by the BJP's penchant for surprises, one cannot rule out the possibility of a dark horse taking over the reins of the government.
Meanwhile, Kateel has denied any link to the leaked audio clip. "I will write to the chief minister to order an inquiry into the audio clip."
The state BJP chief also stated that the audio was irrelevant as there has been no discussion about the leadership change in the party. "Yediyurappa is the atma [soul] of our party. He is the unanimous leader. He brought the party to power with his hardwork over the years. And Eshwarappa and Shettar are like two eyes of the party. Our party and the government run effectively under the guidance of these senior leaders. So, only a thorough probe [into the audio clip] will reveal the truth," said Kateel (also Dakshina Kannada MP), in Mangaluru on Monday morning, even as he is headed to Delhi to attend the monsoon session of the Parliament.
While the change of guard in the state was said to be inevitable owing to Yediyurappa's age (78 years), and the growing disgruntlement against him within the party leaders, behind-the-scene developments hint at Yediyurappa's plan to step down from the top post sooner than later. It is most likely on July 26, when he completes two years in office, say insiders.
According to sources, the chief minister has convened a BJP legislature party meeting on July 26, and intends to host a lunch party to the bureaucrats on the same day, followed by a photo session in the Vidhana Soudha. Also, he has planned to visit his home district Shivamogga on July 23, to inaugurate a slew of projects.
Last week, Yediyurappa had described his two-day visit to Delhi a "success" and dismissed rumours of his resignation and replacement, saying the party high command had assigned him the responsibility of leading the party to victory in the 2023 assembly elections with a clear majority and to ensure the party gets the highest seats in the Lok Sabha polls the following year. However, Yediyurappa announcing that he would visit Delhi again in August, dropped a hint that the process of leadership change was in motion.
Interestingly, the BSY supporters have maintained an unsual calm even in the face of speculations of leadership change. Even after the audio surfaced late on Sunday night, BJP leaders chose to remain silent.
RDPR minister K.S. Eshwarappa, who has had many run-ins with Yediyurappa including the latest instance of him complaining to the governor against Yediyurappa's "interference" in his department, seemed rattled by the audio leak.
"It is a ploy and someone is trying to make Kateel a scapegoat. Nobody can remove me. However, if the party leadership wants me to step down, I will do it. Thousands of partyworkers are toiling hard for the party. But have all of them become ministers? I am given the responsibility to work for the party and the Hindu society and I am doing it," said Eshwarappa, a Kuruba leader from Shimoga, known to be affiliated to the Sangh Parivar.
