Yeddy quits, BJP on tenterhooks in Karnataka

Yeddyurappa finally quits BJP. He broke into tears while announcing the decision today. The party would have shed some tears too - of relief. His tantrums had been going on for too long. His repeated threats to destabilise the Karnataka government and the state unit of the party over the last two years had left the party discredited and thoroughly embarrassed. His demands were difficult to meet. But it was helpless.

It could not have shown the door to the senior leader on its own. After all, Yeddyurappa was the prime architect of the party in the state. He had built it from the scratch and gifted the BJP its first government in the South. He was the face of the party and its star campaigner.

It was an association spanning 40 long years. It is not easy to throw out a man like that. He had to be handled with care and caution. The BJP did that by playing the game with patience, refusing to provoke him while still not being succumbing to his pressure tactic.

He left the party a bitter man. Some people in the BJP ``betrayed’’ and “backstabbed’’ me, he said, without holding out any immediate threat. And the party would be aware of the consequences, both long term and short term. In the short term, with 50 MLAs backing him he could bring down the government anytime he chooses. He has already proved this support to the party bosses in New Delhi several times.

The long term damage could be in the form of the Lingayat support base of the party. Yeddyurappa commands considerable loyalty in the electorally powerful community and if the community deserts the BJP, it could cease to be a political force in the state. Given that the party is bracing itself for a tough parliamentary poll in 2014, it can hardly afford to lose any seat it holds in its states. It has 19 MPs from Karnataka. It can go down by half if Yeddyurappa decides to play spoilsport.

But it had to make a choice. It could not have afforded to allow Yeddyurappa arm-twist it into submission. He desperately wanted to be back as chief minister but his presence at the helm would have weakened the BJP’s major poll plank in all upcoming polls: corruption.

The scandals involving him are serious indeed. It conceded his demands twice by bringing in chief ministers of his choice - Sadananda Gowda first and Jagdish Shettar now. But probably he wanted to be the party chief in the state too. The BJP did not want to pander to his wishes and let him crib, shout and issue threats.

The party would have been happier had he left much earlier. This could have allowed it to rebuild the party organisation by creating new leadership, particularly in the Lingayat community, and prepare for the assembly polls due mid-next year.

The party also needs to undo the damage caused by the Yeddyurappa in the two years by ensuring good governance. But it certainly was not the BJP’s call. It created a situation where the senior leader had to leave on his own. Now that he is out, it can take up more serious matters.

However, by all indications, the problems for the party in Karnataka has just begun. He is set to launch his own outfit, Karnataka Janata Party, on December 9. It would take away a chunk of BJP votes, besides keeping the party on tenterhooks all the time. Without Yeddyurappa, it is back to zero for the party. It will be a arduous climb ahead.