JOIN US The Congress is still dilly-dallying to find a replacement to its state president G Parameshwara. But its prime rival BJP has brought back mass leader B S Yeddyurappa to the centre stage.
For Yeddyurappa, building the party is not a new task because he was the State president in 1989, 1991 and 1997.
Yeddyurappa’s strengths are: being workaholic, mass leader, representing a powerful community, never-say-die attitude and high level of confidence. His weaknesses: obduracy, being short-tempered, entertaining only members of his coterie, casteism and the damage he caused to the party because of the corruption charges he faced. Lately, various courts quashed some of the cases against him. The CBI court is probing the case of donation by Jindal company to Prerana Trust.
Sources in the BJP said that there were a couple of aspirants for the post. But none of them was keen to take the responsibility of leading the party in the next elections, like
Yeddyurappa.
On Saturday, Yeddyurappa, in an interaction with this paper, shared the challenges
before him.
Deccan Herald: It looks like you have come out of political hibernation
Political hibernation was only for the last two years. Becoming the party president is a good opportunity to strengthen the party. I will take the failures of the Congress government before the people, besides exposing scams.
DH: What are the challenges before you for the 2018 Assembly polls?
Our party leaders will discuss. We will select good candidates for all the 224 constituencies. We will chalk out an action plan for every month. At present, the state is facing severe drought. I will start touring the state on
April 25.
DH: The once fiery and angry Yeddyurappa seems to have mellowed down?
Yes. As state president of the party, I have to take everyone together.
DH: Many cases against you are yet to reach their logical end
I have faith in the judiciary. I will come out clean, with all charges against me cleared.
DH: Earlier, you were recognised as a leader of farmers. But after you quit the BJP to form the KJP, you have been branded as a Lingayat leader.
Definitely not. I am not confined to any one community. In my 40 to 50 years of public life, I have fought for the rights of people of all communities.
During my tenure as chief minister I launched programmes for all citizens. When I was chief minister, I gave clearance for setting up of the Banjara Development Board, Bhovi Community Development Board, Valmiki Bhavan,
Jagjivan Ram Bhavan.....
DH: Are the state leaders in the BJP supporting your leadership whole-heartedly ?
Yes. There is no discordant note. Yeddyurappa alone cannot do everything. I seek the support of all.
DH: What is your opinion of the Siddaramaiah government ?
For the people, the government has become non-existent. Development has come to a standstill.
Even Congress leaders like S M Krishna and Janardhan Poojary have criticised the government for its actions like the formation of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
(As told to B S Shanmukhappa)