Yeddyurappa's North Karnataka bid is more out of a lack of choice

B S Yeddyurappa will now contest from North Karnataka

The BJP's rise in North Karnataka constituencies in electoral politics over the years has been nothing short of brilliance and the party is in no mood to let the momentum stop. In a purported masterstroke, the BJP has decided to field state unit president and Chief minister candidate B S Yeddyurappa from North Karnataka.

The move may seem like a step towards consolidating Lingayat votes in the state but party insiders believe it has more to do with a lack of choice for B S Yeddyurappa in the face of decision making by the RSS.

B S Yeddyurappa's home turf Shikharipura in Shivamogga will see a different candidate this time around as he prepares to contest from either Bidar, Bagalkot or Vijayapura (previously Bijapur). The demand is for Yeddyurappa, a Lingayat strongman to contest from the heartland of the community. While Yeddyurappa has meekly agreed to shift base, the decision may have been out of a lack of choice.

"Every shred of strategy will be used to win and if this (Yeddyurappa contesting from North Karnataka) helps then so be it. The idea may have come from RSS but it is unsubstantiated," said a BJP leader from Karnataka.

She highlighted how the state leadership currently does not have the power to overrule the central leadership currently. "If the central leadership decides, we have to follow. We don't have too many choices. B S Yeddyurappa can say no if he really wants to but he will consider it because he wants to win," the leader added.

Analysts believe that fielding B S Yeddyurappa from North Karnataka will appeal to a three-point strategy. "No political party in Karnataka has been able to come to power without performing well in the North Karnataka regions historically speaking. Fielding B S Yeddyurappa from there is very much for this reason as it is to counter the Veerashaiva- Lingayat row," said Dr Sandeep Shastry, Psephologist and Pro Vice Chancellor of Jain University in Bengaluru. He highlighted how the third reason was to counter the fights within the BJP state unit. "By moving B S Yeddyurappa away from Shivamogga, the party will put an end to all disagreements within the unit," he added.

Yeddyurappa is certain to win irrespective of the constituency he contests from, is BJP's belief. What the party also believes is that the notion of a candidate from North Karnataka becoming Chief minister may work out in its favour.

During a review meet headed by Amit Shah last month, B L Santhosh, the joint organising Secretary of the BJP, was given additional powers of decision making. The proposal to field Yeddyurappa from North Karnataka, partymen believe, stems from there. While everyone in the BJP is confident of Yeddyurappa's victory, his supporters are worried about the leader's political image if the tide is not in his favour. Will the move finish him off politically is their worry.

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