The BJP in Karnataka nominated five members into the Karnataka Legislative Council including former MLAs AH Vishwanath and CP Yogeshwar.
According to political observers in the state, this is significant as AH Vishwanath was not initially favoured by the party’s high command but was pushed through by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa himself.
The others nominated are Bharathi Shetty, Talwar Sabanna and Shantarama Budna Siddi, a member of the Siddi tribal community, an African-origin tribe living in the state.
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala confirmed the nominations in an order issued on Wednesday.
A source close to the CM said, “Vishwanath was one of the persons responsible for making Yediyurappa the CM and he played a crucial role. Bharti Shetty, a former MLC is also BSY’s choice. The others as you can see are backed by the RSS-lobby.”
Although Yogeshwar was initially an RSS favourite, he was backed by Yediyurappa later. The source said this was an indication that things were better between the two camps within the party
“They have worked out an arrangement for now. Initially along with the two names, BSY had proposed the name of Lingayat leader and Veerashaiva Vidyabhivrudhi Samsthe president BS Paramashivaiah but he was opposed by the party saying he is 81, so Yediyurappa himself sent the name of Yogeshwar," the source added.
It may be recalled that Vishwanath who was a ruling MLA in the erstwhile HD Kumaraswamy government and served as the JD(S) state president had resigned along with 16 other MLAs of the then ruling coalition. However, he lost in the elections. Earlier last month, MTB Nagaraj who had lost against Sharath Bachegowda, a rebel BJP leader in the byepolls was given an entry to the council in similar fashion.
With this nomination, VIshwanath now moves closer to his goal of finding a place in BS Yediyurappa’s cabinet.
Yogeshwar is a former ally of DK Shivakumar and had lost to HD Kumaraswamy In the 2018 Assembly elections from Channapatna on a BJP ticket.
Yogeshwar is said to have been rewarded for his instrumental role in managing the rebel MLAs that eventually led to the fall of the Congress-JD (S) coalition government in July last year.