PM Modi, BS Yediyurappa hand-in-hand: What the camaraderie means for Karnataka

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated BS Yediyurappa at some stage in the inauguration rite of the Shivamogga airport. Then, PM Modi held the previous Karnataka leader minister`s hand and each leaders walked hand-in-hand as photographers scrambled to seize the moment. The photos went viral. The high minister`s gesture stemmed via the camaraderie and recognize that the 2 percentage. But it changed into additionally intended to well known BS Yediyurappa`s stature in Karnataka`s politics. And that is essential in advance of the meeting election withinside the southern country. Let`s pass again a little.

In July 2021, Basavaraj Bommai changed BS Yediyurappa as Karnataka`s leader minister. Such replacements take place while the incumbent is visible as now no longer true for the celebration`s prospects, regardless of the past. Such replacements take place typically while allegations, regularly of corruption or highhandedness in the celebration or the authorities, grow to be too shrill to defend.

And Yediyurappa has been no everyday politician. He is a four-time leader minister. He is famous amongst big sections of Lingayat citizens, essential for an election victory withinside the country. He is aware of the celebration and the authorities equipment internal out. Naturally, regardless of public posturing on each sides, he changed into and is hurt. After all, Bommai changed into a trifling minister in Yediyurappa`s authorities.

Since the alternate of defend, there had been “reports” of both Yediyurappa “skipping” BJP or Karnataka authorities occasions or his being “sidelined” through individuals who did his bidding now no longer lengthy ago. All this while, Yediyurappa has stated that each one is properly however additionally with a convincing warning – “no one can end me off”. “I even have my personal strength. I even have reinforced the celebration and toiled to carry BJP to energy. The complete country is aware of this,” he has stated.

And the BJP leadership, which determined to update Yediyurappa, doesn`t need him “completed off” both. In fact, it`s a case of competing goals for the pinnacle brass. A yr after the alternate in defend, Yediyurappa changed into made a part of the BJP`s parliamentary board.

By placing Yediyurappa at the parliamentary board, the BJP gave the look of sending out a message that it had now no longer deserted its antique conflict horse. It changed into a message for Bommai, many might argue, that he can not take his activity with no consideration as his predecessor can have a function to play in how Karnataka`s politics performs out withinside the coming days.

And all this messaging were given in addition deepened and reinforced while Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted a 15-minute one-on-one target target market to Yediyurappa at the sidelines of the continued two-day countrywide govt assembly of the BJP in New Delhi in January. The 15-minute communication follows Yediyurappa`s absence from a PM Modi display in Karnataka approximately per week ago. The rationalization then changed into, it changed into a central authority occasion and Yediyurappa is handiest a part of the celebration.

KARNATAKA CONNECTION

Karnataka is one of the 9 states in which meeting elections may be held this yr. And one of the key agendas of the countrywide govt assembly is to thrash out triumphing formulas. The 15-minute assembly is a reassertion that the Lingayat strongman is a part of the pack.

The Lingayats include approximately 17 in step with cent of Karnataka`s populace and are the single-biggest network withinside the country, typically withinside the northern region. They had been conventional BJP citizens however have these days been at the warpath, searching for a more percentage of reservation. Cold-shouldering Yediyurappa should backfire in addition.

More than some thing else, Karnataka is the handiest southern country in which the BJP has damaged via and, together with Pondicherry, stays a essential window to the celebration`s plan to increase withinside the relaxation of the virgin region. This is particularly given the BJP`s attention of the want to paintings a good deal tougher in a few states above the Vindhyas in advance of 2024 while PM Modi seeks a 3rd instantly term.

HAND-IN-HAND

Then the hand-in-hand gesture on Monday. It changed into a clean message to the celebration cadre. Monday changed into BSY`s birthday. And the PM asked the target target market to elevate the flashlights in their smartphones as a display of recognize for him. This evoked a large response.

And not anything changed into left to creativeness while BJP IT mobileular leader Amit Malviya tweeted, “The Prime Minister and BSY pass again a protracted way. The camaraderie and mutual recognize is unmissable. This gesture of PM keeping BSY`s hand as he walks in to inaugurate the airport is an acknowledgment of BSY`s seminal function in starting the gates of South India for the BJP.”

Yediyurappa`s resurrection won’t be a precursor to every other alternate of defend in Karnataka—there`s hardly ever any time left earlier than the country is going to the polls—however the messaging is clean. It`s in all likelihood that Yediyurappa will play a more function for the celebration withinside the coming election.

This has come at a time while CM Bommai is going through a barrage of corruption allegations towards him from the Congress. As it is, troubles inclusive of the Lingayat quota row and the Karnataka-Maharashtra border controversy have grow to be a headache for the Karnataka authorities.

And all this doesn`t appearance true for BJP`s leader election strategist Amit Shah`s “Mission 136” — the celebration have to win 136 of the country’s 224 meeting seats. It may be thrilling to peer whether or not the more highlight on the person who introduced the BJP to energy for the primary time in Karnataka (in 2008) allows or hinders this goal.