Bengaluru: The man many say will ultimately replace the ageing B.S. Yediyurappa as the Lingayat mascot of the BJP and maybe as CM, dismisses such talk saying he is not the kind of politician who plots against anyone.
“I am not here to replace Yediyurappa or become his successor. I was assigned the role of assisting him to make the BJP government strong,” Deputy CM Laxman Savadi told Deccan Chronicle in an interview.
He claims everything in his life has happened by accident—whether it was his induction into the Yediyurappa cabinet a decade ago or even watching alleged porn clipping in the Assembly. He avers it was a rape and murder clipping even as the opposition Congress asserts he has no right to be in the cabinet.
The BJP picking Savadi as Deputy CM ignoring veterans surprised many with sources saying the leadership has its eyes on the Maharashtra Assembly polls and Lingayat voters across the state border.
Laxman Savadi, one of the three Deputy CMs in the B.S. Yediyurappa cabinet, was in the news, perhaps for the wrong reasons about a decade ago when the Congress bayed for his blood charging that he had watched porn inside the assembly. The party is sticking to its guns saying the BJP has no moral right to induct him as minister. Mr Savadi a seasoned politician groomed in the co-operatives sector, and a Lingayat, might have been inducted for two reasons: One to help the BJP in the coming Maharashtra election with voters of his community predominant across the state border. Two, the party seems to be nurturing second rung leaders to replace the ageing Yediyurappa and Mr Savadi is part of this project. In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, he faced all the questions with ease. Here are excerpts.
There are several versions doing the rounds about your induction into the cabinet. But what actually happened?
In my political life, nothing has happened by design. After I became an MLA for the first time in 2004, I did not expect to be made parliamentary secretary (of the BJP-JD(S) coalition). In 2008, I did not lobby for a cabinet berth. On the day before the swearing-in, I went to see Mr Yediyurappa. Holding my hand at the altar of the pooja room in his house, he said, “You will work with me in my cabinet.” Everything that has happened in my life was by accident. I am not even an MLA this time and how could I think of becoming a minister? But Mr Yediyurappa called me one day and insisted that I should lead the state farmers’ morcha. I was assigned to work with the former Dy CM of Madhya Pradesh and others in western Maharashtra where the assembly elections are due this year. On the day before the swearing-in of ministers here, I went to Delhi to attend a meeting related to Maharashtra. I switched off my mobile and went to sleep in Karnataka Bhavan. I got a call on my landline at 2 pm with a friend telling me about the party central leadership picking me to be a minister. I was surprised and said it was fake news. He insisted that I call Mr Yediyurappa’s residence. But I called Mr Basavaraj Bommai who confirmed this. He told me the swearing in ceremony was at 10.30 am the next day and I should reach Bengaluru. I scrambled and got a ticket leaving Delhi at 5 am. Frankly, I did not know I would be made one of the three deputy chief ministers.
You spoke about your defeat in the assembly elections. Many in the party attribute your defeat to internal sabotage. Is that true?
People may speak about this. But, frankly speaking, I did not get any concrete evidence to suggest that my party workers or leaders had worked against me to defeat me. This, I think, is not true.
But then another senior leader from Belagavi, Umesh Katti and you have serious differences…
You may not believe this. I have been working with Mr Katti and Mr Kore (BJP leader, Prabhakar Kore from Belagavi) for over 25 years in the co-operative field. We had some minor misunderstandings in the past in the DCC banks and co-operative sector. Who would not have such minor differences in such a long career? But, believe me, we are working together and there are no differences between us.
In the changed political circumstances, the disqualified Congress MLAs may team up with the BJP and your rivals will eye your seat. For instance, former Congress legislator Mahesh Kumathalli, who had defeated you in the 2018 assembly elections, is expected to join the BJP. How do you see it?
As you know, in politics, there are no permanent foes. They (disqualified MLAs) may come and join our party. I was defeated in the assembly elections, yet the party did make me a minister and not only that. I am one of the three deputy chief ministers. Now, you tell me, why did the party choose me? Because, I am a loyal soldier of the party. I do whatever the party says. Frankly, I am not worried about their induction. Let them come. The party knows how to handle the situation.
Is it true that you were made Deputy Chief Minister because you wield influence among the voters of your community in parts of Maharashtra?
It’s quite possible, I do not deny that. I have been involved in political activity at the grassroots in Maharashtra. I have been assigned the western part of the state, particularly, Solapur, Kolhapur, Pune and Satara. I am not the only one, I am working with other leaders assigned by the party. We approach leaders of various castes, including those of the Lingayat community, in the border region and try to influence them.
Is it really possible for leaders of a particular state to go and work in the neighbouring state and influence voters in elections?
Why not? It is possible. This is not something new. In the Karnataka elections, leaders from Maharashtra came and worked here. I have been working in Maharashtra for over 15 years. This is the third election I have been associated with.
There are also reports that you were made Deputy Chief Minister to nurture second rung Lingayat leaders and that you have been picked by party national president Amit Shah and national organizing secretary B.L. Santhosh. How much credence does one can give to these reports?
I would like to make one thing clear: I am not the kind of politician who plots against any one. I am not here to replace B.S. Yediyurappa or become his successor. I was assigned the role of assisting Mr Yediyurappa and making the government strong.
You as a legislator and minister conducted yourself in a dignified way till you were caught watching porn on the floor of the House a few years ago. The Congress party feels you should not be in the cabinet.
It was an accident. It was a rape and murder clip. On that day, I was in the upper House and came to the assembly very late. My colleagues asked me why I was late. I said there was a discussion in the upper House about the government giving permission for rave parties. Then, they said that rape and murder have become so common that such discussions do not have any significance. I admit it was a blot on my career and I repent that. People may think otherwise but I am a highly philosophical man and come from a cultured family. Immediately after the incident, I resigned. Then in 2013, I faced elections and I won. I think with my resignation then, the episode had ended. I would like to remind Congress leaders that I know a lot about some Congress leaders who do this regularly. But I do not want to go into it. They should stop.
The Narendra Modi government’s thrust seems to be on reforms and effective governance. Do you have any such plans? Till now, the state government has not shown any inclination to do this.
Yes, it is good to have the same party rule both at the Centre and in the state. There will be synergy in our planning and execution of programmes. What you said about reforms is true. We have just taken over. We need to bring in a lot of reforms in administration. And I have been consulting experts and plan to bring new programmes to my department. Give me some time.
