“Removal of BSY from CM’s post was a blunder” says BJP workers

S. A. Hemanth

Bengaluru, May 14: Removal of B. S. Yediyurappa from the post of Chief Minister in 2021 is the reason for the party’s disastrous and miserable performance in the just-concluded elections, say hundreds of BJP workers.

In their view, the age factor on the basis of which Yediyurappa was removed was only a pretext to get rid of him.

“The party’s Central leadership was aware that Yediyurappa will turn 75 in 2022. Why, then, was he made chief minister. So, the party wanted Yediyurappa to come to power. After that, Yediyurappa was thrown out,” said Narendra Swamy, a party functionary from Gowribidanur.

Another worker Jayanth from Sakleshpur said that the party sent a wrong message to the Lingayath community by removing Yediyurappa from the post.

“We realised Yediyurappa’s pain and agony when he wept in the banquet hall on the day he resigned. I immediately realized that this will drown BJP in the 2023 elections,” said Jayanth.

The workers say the party ill-treated Yediyurappa in the beginning but later realised its mistake and made him the member of the Central Parliamentary Board.

“But by that time, the damage had already been done. In fact he was not involved in the electioneering in a proper manner,” said another party worker Shivalinge Gowda, a die-hard Yediyurappa supporter.

The workers are of the opinion that even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to placate the Lingayath community by honoring Yediyurappa in his 80th birthday at Shimoga, the community did not acknowledged it.

“What is the point in saying some good words after removing him from power. We consider Yediyurappa as our leader and we want power and position for him. Bommai may belong to our community but he is not our leader,” said Revanasiddaiah from Koratagere.

The workers are also of the view that it is going to be an uphill task for the BJP to win back the trust and confidence of the Lingayath community.

EOM