If there’s one post that is as, if not more, powerful than that of chief minister, it’s that of the state party chief.
Little wonder that former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, is reportedly trying to get his trusted lieutenant and energy minister Shobha Karandlaje appointed as Bharatiya Janata Party state president to replace K.S. Eshwarappa, recently made a deputy chief minister in the Shettar ministry.
Mr Yeddyurappa is also keen on a Cabinet reshuffle to get rid of the inconsistencies which crept in during government formation with several deserving MLAs being denied cabinet berths.
But in a turn up for the books, opposition to these moves comes not from rival camps but from legislators who are loyal to him.
Speaking to this newspaper, a source close to Mr Yeddyurappa said the former CM considered Ms Karandlaje their best bet for party state chief as she would never refuse to step down, if he cleared his name in the land and mining scam cases and wanted the job for himself.
“But Mr Yeddyurappa’s move has met with stiff resistance from his loyalist MLAs who feel that Ms Karandlaje could pose a serious threat to their growth if she gets a powerful post. She has been able to establish a strong network with party central leaders and the RSS too in a short span of time. She could prove more dangerous to us than any other leader,” a source explained.
Mr Yeddyurappa’s plan for a Cabinet reshuffle also met with resistance as it would give an opportunity to the rival camp to grab plum portfolios now held by his supporters.
“Why should BSY be so generous? This will alienate his loyalists, who are all gravitating towards his rivals Eshwarappa and Sadananda Gowda,” the source said.