India / Yediyurappa will be removed from CM post: Karnataka BJP MLA

Bengaluru: Senior BJP legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has stirred the political cauldron by claiming that B S Yediyurappa will be removed as the Chief Minister and his successor will be someone from north Karnataka.

Yatnal said this at a local function in Gang Body on October 19 and a portion of his speech has gone viral.

“He won't stay for long. His time has come,” Yatnal said of Yediyurappa, the Chief Minister. “Even those upstairs (high command) are fed up with him.

Yatnal’s claim adds to persistent murmurs within the BJP that a leadership change was on the cards to replace the ageing Yediyurappa. Also, his outburst highlights the disgruntlement among BJP MLAs from north Karnataka over development.

“Our own CM took back Rs 125 crore that was given to us,” Yatnal, who represents the Bijapur City constituency said. “This has led to a fight between him and me. He’s focussing only on Shivamogga,” he said. Yediyurappa represents the Shikaripura constituency in the Shivamogga districts.

Yatnal, a former union minister, also quoted another senior, disgruntled BJP MLA Umesh Katti’s recent statement that Yediyurappa was functioning as the Chief Minister of Shivamogga.

“If the Rs 125 crore wasn’t taken back, all roads in Gang Body would have been cemented,” Yatnal said. “I’m fighting for (the funds) and I won’t let go. I’ll get it somehow. Bengaluru people should queue up in front of us in Vijayapura just like how we go stand in front of their homes,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is “convinced” that the next Chief Minister should be from north Karnataka, Yatnal claimed. In the 2018 elections, the BJP won big in the Lingayat-dominated north Karnataka. Both Yatnal and Yediyurappa are Lingayats.

“It’s because of north Karnataka people that someone from the BJP can become the CM. Do people in Mandya, Chamarajanagar or Kolar vote for us? We send some 100 MLAs from north Karnataka whereas they send just 15,” he said. “Even the high command has recognised this. PM himself is convinced that this time, after Yediyurappa, the CM will be from north Karnataka. This is almost finalised.”

Chief Minister’s political secretary MP Renukacharya, who is identified with the Yediyurappa camp, hit out at Yatnal. “(Yatnal) is daydreaming,” he told reporters. “The CM’s post isn’t vacant. The BJP is in power in the entire state comprising all regions. When it comes to development, we support north Karnataka,” he said.

Renukacharya said leadership decisions are made by the high command. “Yediyurappa will do a good job. Personally, BJP MLAs from north Karnataka aren’t speaking against him. The MLAs are with the BJP and Yediyurappa, not with (Yatnal),” he said.

The Yediyurappa camp has been rather dismissive of Yatnal, who has made his disgruntlement public in the past as well. In October 2019, he was issued a show-cause notice by the party for criticising his own party’s efforts in providing flood relief.