Karnataka crisis: ‘Outsiders’ may give BJP a headache

BENGALURU: Call it an obsession or mere opportunism, but state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa’s relentless drive to helm a government by toppling the JD(S)-Congress coalition could well spell doom for the saffron party. This, because many BJP loyalists have fought tooth and nail against the very same “outsiders” which the party is now heavily banking on to grab power.
Of the 13 Congress-JD(S) legislators who resigned on Saturday, at least six of them have been involved in pitched battles with BJP leaders over the past decade. While some of these battles were on ideological grounds, others were bitter personal rivalries.
Byrathi Basavaraj, for example, had a running feud with seasoned BJP leader and former KR Puram MLA Nandish Reddy, while ST Somashekar was involved in rifts with several BJP leaders, including the likes of Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje, in Yeshwantpur. Karandlaje had once represented the constituency.
Besides, seven-time BTM Layout legislator and now Congress rebel R Ramalinga Reddy, could be a threat to the dominance of BJP’s Bengaluru leaders like R Ashoka and V Somanna, who have been undisputed go-to-people for the party in the city.
“One prime reason which contributed to Reddy and the Congress trio of Somashekar, Basavaraj and Munirathna agreeing to defect is that the wings of Ashoka and Somanna would be clipped,” said one citybased BJP leader. “It [defections] is obviously going to hurt a lot of local BJP leaders in Bengaluru, considering the cadre has fought tooth and nail with the Congress in the city.”
Even outside Bengaluru — in constituencies like Athani and Hirekerur for example — BJP loyalists like Lakshman Savadi and UB Banakar are likely to raise a banner of revolt against the induction of Congress’ BC Patil and Mahesh Kumathalli. While Savadi lost to Kumthalli by 2,331 votes in the 2018 election, Banakar lost to Patil by a mere 555 votes.
Then, there is Ramesh Jarkiholi, whose very presence in the BJP is certain to create a furore within the party rank as he may well be considered a direct threat to the dominance of Molkamuru MLA B Sreeramulu. Both are from the Valmiki community. Jarkiholi’s relative Y Devendrappa is the current MP from Ballari, making him a bigger threat to Sreeramulu’s dominance.