ENARADA, Hubli,
By MATHIHALLI MADAN MOHAN
At last the craving of Yeddyurappa for proper rehabilitation in the party, has been partially met with his induction as one of the national vice presidents of the party under the new dispensation of Modi-Amit Shah combination, which is in full control of the affairs of the organization and the BJP led NDA government.
It is a common knowledge that the post of the national vice president is a merely ornamental post and the responsibility that it entails is totally unclear.
Knowing his penchant for power, this development should not normally satisfy the ego of the former BJP’s Chief Minister of Karnataka. He would have certainly loved a berth in the Modi cabinet, which was denied to him in no uncertain terms. But there is no alternative for Yeddyurappa to accept it.
What does this mean for the party at the Centre and the power equations at the state level in general, vis-à-vis his tenuous relationship with his betenoire Ananth Kumar in Karnataka.?
It is also well-known that Yeddyurappa feels quite uncomfortable to swim in the national political waters of New Delhi, his basic inability to interact with Hindi being one of the contributory causes.
Years ago, he was made as one of the national secretaries of the party and he did not last long.
His utility therefore is restricted to Karnataka, whatever it may mean. And in Karnataka he has no special job to be done, since the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah is firmly in saddle.
With the humiliating party defeat in loksabha election, the Congress High Command has virtually lost its command to rein in the Chief Minister.
The BJP’s old habit of poaching into the other terrain to entice the other party legislators into BJP as was done during the Yeddyurappa regime in the past, is of no avail at the moment.
Some JDS legislators may be thinking of swapping their loyalty with BJP but it has no relevance, since it hardly gives any leeway in upsetting the apple cart of Siddaramaiah.
And the three bye elections, currently on Shikaripur, Chikodi-Sadalaga and Bellary Rural are politically insignificant. The outcome has hardly any impact on the political fortunes of the Congress and BJP. It may at least pander to the egos of Yeddyurppa and Chief Minister Siddaramaih. At best, he can needle the present party leadership led by Pralhad Joshi, an acolyte of Ananth Kumar and his mentor.
Perhaps Yedddyurappa can cock a snook at Ananth Kumar, who had always used his organizational position in New Delhi to needle him. Today in the party’s central organizational setup, Yeddyurappa has moved up the ladder and Ananth Kumar has lost his place.
Moreover the comeback of Yeddyurappa to the main stream of the party, has given one clear message that political value practiced during the Vajpayee-Advani era no longer hold good under Modi. And that corruption is no sin. You can be in the party, even if you are corrupt to the core and even when charges and criminal cases are pending, as long as you are considered to be useful to the new ruling elite.
(Posted on August 20 , 2014 @ 10:00am)
(Author is a Senior Journalist and Columnist. He can be reached at madan.mm@gmail.com and his Mobile no is +91 94480-74872 )
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