The BJP in Karnataka came to power in July 2019 after a massive poaching operation of legislators from the Congress and JD(S). Although the party has achieved a simple majority after the December 9, 2019 bye-elections, BJP is now looking at solidifying its base. The focus is primarily on southern Karnataka -- a region that has remained out of the party’s reach. Sources say that Chief Minister (CM) BS Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra Yeddyurappa has been put in charge of consolidating vote banks in the Old Mysuru region in the south and the Chief Minister’s son is taking a familiar route to achieve this -- poach JD(S) and Congress legislators from the Old Mysuru region.
One of the JD(S) legislators the BJP has been eyeing since the rebellion began in the coalition government is GT Devegowda, the Chamundeshwari MLA. A close associate of BJP Members of Parliament (MPs) V Srinivas Prasad and Pratap Simha, GT Devegowda has been very vocal about his displeasure with JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and his family members, especially former CM HD Kumarasamy. Sources say that the BJP is planning to bring in GT Devegowda into its fold in the upcoming months.
Vijayendra Yeddyurappa with Chamundeshwari JD(S) MLA GT Devegowda
“Vijayendra and a few other leaders, who are in charge of building the party’s base in Old Mysuru, are in talks with five JD(S) MLAs and four MLAs from Congress. Vijayendra is trying to bring them into the BJP. This operation is not being done in a hurry like the one before. It may take some time,” a BJP leader said.
The BJP is also planning to convince Congress and JD(S) cadre in the southern region, sources say. “In many places the Congress party workers are not motivated and the lack of morale is helping us in bringing them to the BJP and getting them to work for the party instead. At the grassroots level, the local BJP leaders are in talks with several gram panchayat leaders from Congress and JD(S) as well,” the source added.
Vijayendra in a meeting with Amith Shah and JP Nadda ahead of the cabinet expansion in Karnataka
BJP insiders say that Vijayendra is being mentored by his father to take over his role in the future. Vijayendra was the only BJP leader who managed to get a BJP candidate elected in the Mandya region, a source close to Yediyurappa said. “When Narayana Gowda won the December 9 bye-polls, it was also because the Congress and JD(S) did not have strong candidates against him. This helped Vijayendra convince members of the Kuruba and Vokkaliga communities to vote for Narayana Gowda in the KR Pete bye-polls. Young leaders were not cultivated in the Congress and JD(S) over the last two decades. Since there is lack of leadership, the only option is to lure the top Congress and JD(S) leaders in the Old Mysuru region,” the BJP leader said.