INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
BENGALURU: The BJP legislature party meeting is expected to choose its leader, who will automatically be the opposition leader in the
legislative assembly where the party has 66 members.The question doing the rounds ahead of the meet is: Will the party pick Basavaraj Bommai
or take the gamble of choosing a fresh face?Keeping the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in mind, a large section of BJP functionaries seem to be
convinced that the brass may favour the former chief minister, considering his equations with party veteran and former CM BS Yediyurappa
"The leadership may not want to take the gamble and upset Yediyurappa with less than a year until the parliamentary polls," said a senior
functionary.However, some believe that the party may make the bold decision of choosing a fresh face from among the old-timers who have not
held the post in the past
Battling rampant infighting and camp politics within the saffron party, making a choice for the top job is indeed a daunting task for the
leadership.Other than Bommai (Sadar-Lingayat), senior lawmakers R Ashoka (Vokkaliga), Basanagouda Patil Yatnal (Panchamasali-Lingayat), CN
Ashwath Narayan (Vokkaliga), V Sunil Kumar (Idiga), S Suresh Kumar (Brahmin), and Aravind Bellad (Panchamasali-Lingayat) are contenders for
the position.A senior leader said Bommai will be the obvious choice due to his experience in handling crucial departments like water
resources, finance, and home
"He is a good debater and has the backing of Yediyurappa
This is crucial ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," the leader said.However, several functionaries feel the party will be further doomed
if Bommai is chosen since he "lacks leadership skills" to boost the confidence of workers and unite the two factions
Bommai has also been accused of pursuing "adjustment politics" by a section of leaders since he was earlier part of the Janata Parivar, of
which Siddaramaiah was a member.There are calls within the party to go for a Hindutva face like Yatnal or Sunil Kumar to take on the
Congress government that is expected to overturn several decisions of the previous BJP government, such as laws banning cow slaughter and
regulating religious conversion
Some have also been batting for Suresh Kumar or Bellad who have a good image and credentials.The party is said to be weighing its options,
as the role will be crucial in highlighting the failures and missteps of the Congress government and putting it on the back foot at every
The biggest challenge is to find a consensus candidate."Cult personality has been a major factor in politics
In the past two decades or so, Yediyurappa has been a larger-than-life figure and the face of the state BJP unit
The party should look for a strong face to lead it instead of making temporary arrangements," said Vishwas Shetty, a political commentator.
