Stung by Haryana blow, BJP may not ‘disturb’ BS Yediyurappa

Bengaluru: The assembly election results in Maharashtra and Haryana where the BJP emerged as the single largest party but with a reduced majority, may have come as a blessing in disguise for Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa with the party high command unlikely to resort to the exercise of replacing him considering the implications.

Many BJP leaders who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that Haryana is like Karnataka where caste plays a major role in defining the political course. The incumbent CM of Haryana Manoharlal Khattar who is not a Jat, could not manage to cross the halfway mark perhaps because he lost the caste battle, the leaders felt. Taking a cue from the not so satisfactory Haryana poll results, the BJP central leadership may not disturb Yediyurappa for now as it might send a wrong signal to the majority Lingayat community which has backed the BJP all the time.

Last week, DC had reported that both the RSS and BJP central leadership may have made up their mind to continue with Mr Yediyurappa.

The leaders however said, the results would be a wake-up call to Mr Yediyurappa to focus on delivering his promises.
“Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis not only delivered what he had promised, he also managed to ensure a positive perception of his government's performance. Mr Yediyurappa should learn to manage both- delivery of assurances and also the perception of his government's performance," another leader said.

The election results have also taught the party a crucial lesson not to induct too many outsiders.

“In the candidates' list, you have to manage the old and new. If the party gives tickets to too many outsiders, it will boomerang like it did in Maharashtra and Haryana. We have a different situation in Karnataka because we have to accommodate the 15 disqualified MLAs and help them win the byelections. It is a matter of survival. Later we can think of preventing others from joining the party," sources said.