Newly appointed Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra formally takes charge

Newly appointed Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra formally took charge on Wednesday, November 15.

The BJP on November 10 appointed Vijayendra Yediyurappa, the son of former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa, its state unit president, a decision that underscores the party leadership’s acknowledgement of the veteran Lingayat leader’s enduring influence on its fortunes despite its avowed stand against promoting family politics.

Vijayendra, a first-time MLA, is seen as a deft organisational leader and has impressed the party leadership with his abilities in various roles assigned to him, party sources said. He replaces Nalinkumar Kateel, who belong to an OBC caste.

The appointment of the 47-year-old leader, seen as the political heir to Yediyurappa, ends months of speculation as a change of guard in the state was widely expected since the BJP suffered a big defeat to the Congress in the assembly polls held in May this year.

Though it was always a strong probability that the BJP will pick a Lingayat leader but its choice of Vijayendra ignoring the dynastic plank, something it has used to target rivals, is as much an acknowledgement to his potential as to the political importance his father continues to wield despite being eased out of electoral politics by the party.

Yediyurappa is also a member of the BJP’s apex organisational body, Parliamentary Board.

His elder son B Y Raghavendra is a Lok Sabha MP and the BJP has often tried to ensure that it is not seen encouraging more than one member of a family in politics.