Bengaluru: Ever since Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s emotional remark last December that “political posts are not permanent”, the change of guard in Karnataka became a talking point in political circles. It has also fuelled speculation of leadership change.
The BJP High Command is said to be seriously thinking of appointing Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje as the new Chief Minister in place of Basavaraj Bommai, who succeeded veteran B.S. Yediyurappa in July last. With Assembly polls just a year away, the High Command move is to woo women voters who form almost half of the electorate.
The BJP leaders are said to be having two names for the CM’s post — Shobha Karandlaje and Jagadish Shettar. However, there are many aspirants for the post including Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani, Revenue Minister R. Ashoka, Water Resources Minister Govind Karjol and senior party MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.
But in any case, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah who will take the ultimate decision on replacing Bommai with someone else, who can lead the party to an emphatic win in the 2023 Assembly elections.
The BJP leaders are said to be more inclined towards appointing a woman for the CM’s post as the party can take credit for making a woman as the CM for the first time. Besides, Shobha has the backing of Yediyurappa, who can play a crucial role in the BJP’s election campaign.
This apart, Shobha, who is a Vokkaliga by caste, has done her assigned task excellently in the just concluded UP polls. Her appointment may also help divide the Vokkaliga votes in favour of the BJP as KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy too are Vokkaligas.
Shobha had performed well as a Minister in the first BJP Government headed by Yediyurappa. She also has the experience of party organisation and can understand the sentiments of the party workers much better than other leaders, sources said.
what is her qualification?
She was dubiously close to the old man Yeddi!
Recollecting Churchill’s observation ( thanks to TJ George); “Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw. They will have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight among themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles.”
The rascals and rogues; Gowdas and Lingayats ” will fight among themselves for power” in this CM position competition! What a prediction by Churchill which has come true!
““Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw. They will have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight among themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles”
Shobha Karandlaje has been suspiciously close to Yedi, the RSS cheddi as he was better known,. As an old man, Yedi wants Shobha Karandlaje near him, as she did always when she was a minister and Yedi the CM. Old men looking at a woman younger !
Karnataka has been ruled by rascals, the Gowdas: Kengal, Kadidal, Krishna.. and rogues, the Lingayats: Nijalingappa, Jatti, Patil, Yedi and now Bommai.
Wait for the political squabbles of Gowdas and Lingayats, with the Lingayat seers joining together on one side, and the thug Devegowda and his son on the other side. BJP won by Lingayat votes, that is the votes of rogues community.
Would e interesting to look at the upcoming political squabbles for power.