Speaking to South First, a BJP leader from Karnataka denied the allegations of nepotism and said that the party follows its constitution to appoint the state unit presidents.
Published Apr 04, 2025 | 3:05 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 04, 2025 | 3:05 PM
Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra (X)
Synopsis: Amid allegations of nepotism within the Karnataka unit of BJP, BY Vijayendra is expected to continue as its president.
At a time when BJP Karnataka President BY Vijayendra is leading protests across the state against price hikes and some bills passed in the state Assembly by the Congress government, several party leaders are confident that he will soon be re-elected to the position.
In November 2023, Vijayendra — son of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa — was chosen to lead the Karnataka unit of the BJP, without an election.
Vijayendra’s appointment was finalised just six months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in April 2024. Meanwhile, several party members expressed confidence in his leadership and wanted him to be re-elected as the state chief of their party.
Speaking to South First, a BJP leader from Karnataka denied the allegations of nepotism and said that the party follows its constitution to appoint the state unit presidents.
“There is no partiality in our party while electing the president. I have seen a few rebel leaders making allegations of nepotism. BJP has its constitution which we follow to elect the president,” the leader said.
Giving a clear picture of how the president is elected, he said, “We have completed booth-level elections in the month of January this year. It is the booth-level presidents who elect the presidents at the constituency level, which is also completed. At the district level, we have completed elections in 50 percent of the districts. There are a total of 39 districts and we have completed 23 of them,” the leader added.
District-level presidents of the BJP will elect the president of the party at the state level, the leader said.
“Around 95 percent of the MLAs and district-level presidents are in favour of electing Vijayendra as the president of the party. Just because few members of the party are rebelling and making false claims against senior leader BS Yediyurappa and his son doesn’t make him ineligible to become the president of the party,” he added.
When asked if there is any other dark horse in the party to contest elections, he said, “Why should there be any other dark horse? With Vijayendra as the president of the party, didn’t we win the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka? Now, we are holding protests against the Congress government’s price hike, four percent reservation to Muslims and even misuse of SC (Scheduled Caste) funds. He will be re-elected as the president of the party.”
Last month, senior leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal was expelled from the saffron party for six years. The high command had taken a serious note of breach in party discipline.
Despite his assurances of good behaviour, Yatnal continued to speak about internal issues of the party in public. His expulsion from the party seems like an attempt by the BJP high command in Delhi to send a message to disgruntled MLAs and rebels.
Yatnal has been, before and after his expulsion, alleging that Yediyurappa and Vijayendra are having adjustment politics with Congress to protect themselves from various scams and corruption charges.
He also alleged that BJP cannot function in the line of nepotism. “Until the party gets rid of father and son, it can never make true progress. I will not allow father, son and grandson politics in the party,” he said.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
