Abide by decision, BSY’s son tells supporters on being denied ticket for MLC polls

PTI, May 24, 2022, 3:23 PM IST

Bengaluru: After the BJP central leadership decided against fielding him as a candidate for upcoming MLC polls in Karnataka, Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s son and party’s state Vice President B Y Vijayendra on Tuesday said power and position itself are not the ultimate objectives in politics.

Asking his supporters and well-wishers to abide by the party’s decision, he also appealed against making any unnecessary comments on social media and elsewhere, following this decision, stating that it will not only damage the reputation of the party but also hurt the sentiments of Yediyurappa and himself.

”My party and our leadership have always encouraged and stood by me ever since I entered politics, by giving me an opportunity to work as Vice President of the party’s state unit. I appeal to all Karyakartas and my supporters to understand that power and position itself are not the ultimate objectives in politics,” Vijayendra said in an appeal.

”I would like to convey to all my well-wishers that any unnecessary comments on social media and elsewhere will not only damage the reputation of our party but also hurt the sentiments of Yeddyurappa Ji and myself,” he said.

Noting that each one of them was a disciplined Karyakartha and will have to abide by the party’s decision, Vijayendra said the party has and will never let down those who have the potential to contribute to it.

Vijayendra also recalled that his father has dedicated his life to building and strengthening the party in Karnataka from the grassroots.

”His decades of struggle, blessings of people, and the opportunities provided by the Party paved the way for him to open the doors for the party in South India and made him Chief Minister on four occasions,” he added.

Ignoring the recommendation of party’s state unit to field Vijayendra in the June 3 biennial election for seven seats of the Karnataka Legislative Council, the party central leadership today announced the candidature of former Deputy Chief Minister and party vice president Laxman Savadi, party’s state secretaries Hemalatha Nayak and S Keshavaprasad, and President of SC Morcha Chalavadi Narayanaswamy.

The announcement of four candidates came hours before the deadline for filing of nominations ends on Tuesday.

The state BJP core committee had earlier recommended Vijayendra’s name to the central leadership, as one of the probable candidates.

According to party sources, the leadership decided against giving a ticket to Vijayendra, as it wants to field him as a candidate during the 2023 assembly elections, and is likely to give him a greater role in the party ahead of the polls as a placatory move.

Earlier too there were reports that Vijayendra might be fielded to contest the 2023 assembly polls from one of the seats in the old Mysuru (south Karnataka) region. He too had recently stated that he is interested in working in the region if the party decides.

”We (state core committee) had recommended Vijayendra’s name unanimously; as he has various opportunities, the high command might have taken this decision after considering various factors. He is now the state Vice President and has to play many roles,” BJP state President Nalin Kumar Kateel told reporters here.

Averring that four names have been announced by the central leadership from the list of 20 people recommended by the state core committee, he said, ”all the four of them are members of my team.” Rejecting talks that delay in announcement of candidates was due to some confusion in the party also regarding Vijayendra’s candidature, he said, national leaders had to meet and finalize.

There were some reports that Yediyurappa had desired to make his son an MLC and then insist on making him Minister in the Basavaraj Bommai cabinet.

There have been such demands from his supporters after Yediyurappa stepped down as Chief Minister in July last year.

The central leadership is also said to have decided against Vijayendra’s candidature, as it will weaken the BJP’s stand against dynasty politics, ahead of 2023 assembly polls, as Yediyurappa is currently an MLA from Shikaripura assembly seat, while his elder son B Y Raghavendra is Shivamogga MP.

Vijayendra was appointed as the party Vice President in July 2020. Before that, he was appointed as BJP youth wing general secretary, soon after he was denied a party ticket to contest from the Varuna constituency in Mysuru, ahead of the May 2018 assembly polls.

His stakes increased in the party as he was credited by many to have played a key role in BJP’s first-ever victory in K R Pet and Sira assembly segments during the by-polls held in 2019 and 2020 respectively.