BJP is busy working on electing a new chief minister after BS Yediyurappa resigned today from being the Chief Minister Karnataka. Meanwhile, the heads of the most influential Lingayat monasteries in Karnataka have termed the decision to remove Yedi as wrong.
A warning has been issued by the lingayats that the BJP will have to face the consequences for Yediyurappa’s removal. Earlier in 2013, he was removed by the BJP due to corruption allegations. This resulted in BJP having only 40 seats in the assembly.
Sharan Basavalinga, head of the famous Lingeshwara temple in Karnataka, said, "The BJP has taken this decision without much thought. Lingayats have demanded that Yediyurappa be allowed to complete his term, but the BJP seems to be confused. The heads of all the lingayats of the state will once again meet on this issue. They are being contacted for this. There is every possibility that this meeting will be held on Monday itself.”
Sharan Basavalinga added that the action plan regarding Yediyurappa resignation will be decided in the meeting of the lingayat heads. A community meeting of all heads was held on Sunday, with an unopposed demand of BS Yediyurappa to continue as the CM of Karnataka. He has warned that if BJP continues with Yediyurappa’s removal, there would be a major agitation in the state. However, Yediyurappa is convinced of accepting the decision of the high command.
Delhi’s Cluelessness Of Karnataka
Head of Lingeshwar temple, Sharan Basavalinga said that the high command in Delhi does not know how elections are held and won in Karnataka. Yediyurappa has formed a legitimate government and removing him can bring troubles for BJP in the state.
State's 5 thousand Lingayat’s, have come out in protest. Sharan Basavalinga said, "About 5 crore people are expecting that the BJP high command will take a decision only after considering all circumstances. If the decision is taken without consideration, then the centre will have to face the united protest of 5000 maths of the state.”
Single Demand Of Yedi’s Term Completion
Basavalinga said, “we were not asking to make Yediyurappa the Chief Minister for the whole life, but to let him complete this term. We do not accept any other Chief Minister in this tenure. Those who are trying to remove him on the basis of age should know that Yeddyurappa may be old, but his power is unshakeable. No leader has the same information as he has up to the booth level here.”
BJP’s Karnataka Support Because of Yediyurappa
The Lingayat community has been supporting the BJP since 1990. Sharan Basavalinga said that “BJP has our support only because Yediyurappa belongs to the Lingayat community.” On the other hand, the head of the Lingayat community of Kottur's Veerashaiva Shivayoga temple, Sangana Basava Swamy, said that the conspiracy to remove Yediyurappa is of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. “Let them remember that Lingayats run in Karnataka, not the Sangh.”
Previous Setbacks To BJP Due To Yedi’s Removal
BJP had secured the support of the Lingayat community in the 2013 assembly elections with the help of BS Yediyurappa. When the BJP expelled Yediyurappa from the party over allegations of corruption, the Lingayat community was furious. Yediyurappa then formed the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP). As a result, the Lingayat vote was divided and the BJP was reduced from 110 seats to 40 seats in the assembly elections.
The vote share of BJP in this election also came down from 33.86% to 19.95%. Yediyurappa’s party got around 10% of the vote. Yediyurappa again returned to the BJP in 2014. It was a miracle that the BJP won 17 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.
Also Read: After Yediyurappa resignation, BJP to appoint central observers to elect new K'taka CM
Lingayat community accounts for around 17% of the population of Karnataka bearing 100 assembly seats in the state. Out of 224 assembly seats in the state, about 90 to 100 seats are dominated by the Lingayat community. At the same time, about half of the state's population is influenced by the Lingayat community. In such a situation, the road after the removal of Yediyurappa will not be easy for the BJP. Removing him would mean taking the risk of losing the votes of this community.