Former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has asserted once again that he is not eyeing the BJP state president’s post which will have to be vacated by Mr K.S. Eshwarappa after his appointment as deputy chief minister. “I will not go begging to anyone for the post. I will wait and watch, if need be till April next year when elections are due to the state Assembly. If the party needs my leadership, fine. Otherwise, I will work for the BJP as an ordinary MLA,’’ he told reporters.
He however ridiculed the concept of `collective leadership’ saying it would ruin the party. ``The BJP is like a family, which has multiple businesses. If you entrust the ownership to all members of the family and allow them to take decisions as they like, the organisation will collapse. Collective leadership is something like this’’, he said. He added that the BJP national executive will meet during the month end and discuss all aspects pertaining to Karnataka politics including collective leadership and the appointment of a new party president.
Mr Yeddyurappa who has been trying to assume the mantle of an elder statesman, regretted that the two national parties – BJP and Congress— have been ignoring the growth of regional parties in various states, which would only help in the re-emergence of the Third Front at the Centre. He blamed national leaders for pursuing their own agenda without giving a thought to the consequences if regional parties come to power in most states.
“Regional parties are in talks on the formation of a Third Front before the next parliament elections. This is sure to have a huge impact during the elections,’’ he said. The former CM dismissed suggestions that he could play a role in national politics. “Parliament elections are nearly two years away. We have state assembly polls in the next seven months, I am concentrating on that. Nor do I believe that a single individual can solve problems at the national level,’’ he said.