B.S. Yeddyurappa, the first BJP leader to head a saffron government in Karnataka, was jailed on charges of corruption on Saturday after the Lokayu-kta court issued an arrest warrant when he failed to show up in court in the morning citing poor health. The arrest is an event that is going to be hard for the BJP to live down.
Remanded to judicial custody till October 22, which he may decide against appealing to gain sympathy, the “surrender” brought to an end the cat and mouse game that the BJP’s posterboy in the south has played with the authorities ever since corruption charges were filed by his bete noire, JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, in January this year.
Though not one of his supporters, barring Belur Gopalkrishna and his immediate family, were present when he surrendered, his supporters believe his incarceration and the forthcoming legal battle, which will see him brought to court like a common criminal, could gain him sympathy within the Lingayat community even as he runs the risk of destroying his reputation as the BJP’s giant-killer in election after election.
“The BJP has now lost its mascot, its main face, after losing its bankers, the Reddys. It’s a double blow,” a party insider said. In fact, tensions ran high outside BSY’s Race Course Road residence when the Lokayukta court issued an arrest warrant after his advocates, in a clear bid to ensure BSY evaded arrest, told the court that the former BJP leader was resting at home and would be unable to attend court till Tuesday.