BJP high command summons Yediyurappa to Delhi amid delay in electing LoP, Karnataka party chief

Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Sunday left for New Delhi after being summoned by the party's top leadership amidst a delay in electing the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Though the BJP stalwart, who is the BJP parliamentary board member, expressed ignorance over the reason for the call, party sources said he has been summoned to decide on the candidates for the posts of leader of the opposition as well as the party's state chief.

“BJP National president J P Nadda has summoned me to New Delhi. I don’t know what the subject is,” Yediyurappa told reporters here. He said, “I will go there, talk to him and if possible, I will return by tonight because a massive protest by thousands has been planned for day-after-tomorrow. So I will try to return by tonight or tomorrow morning.”

Asked whether he has been called to New Delhi to discuss the appointment of LoP, Yediyurappa said he was not aware. “... After talking to him, I will get to know what is running in his mind. I don’t have any clue why he has summoned me,” the former CM said. To a query about the lobbying in the party for the two top posts, Yediyurappa said only the national leaders would take a call on such matters.

Also Read | New Karnataka Leader of the Opposition by July 2 evening: Basavaraj Bommai

“Many people demand many things... Our national leaders will decide. Since he (Nadda) has called me, I will go there and talk to him,” he added. Regarding the BJP’s agitation on Tuesday, Yediyurappa said a massive protest will be organised against the ruling Congress for its "failure" to fulfill its election promises. “It has been decided to protest the failure of the state government. Thousands of people will participate. I will also take part in it,” he added.

With just one day left for the budget session of the assembly to start, the BJP is yet to finalise its leader of opposition. There is a stiff contest in the saffron party in the state for these two prime posts.

There are many frontrunners for the role of opposition leader, sources in the BJP said. Among them are former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former ministers Araga Jnanendra, R Ashoka and Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal. Recently, former Minister V Somanna had expressed his desire to become the BJP state president. The incumbent Nalin Kumar Kateel said although his term got over a year ago he was continuing in the post due to the assembly elections.

Also Read | Renukacharya dares party to act against those who speak ill of B S Yediyurappa

Now, the decision on his replacement would be made by the party high command, he said. According to party sources, the BJP legislative party meeting to elect their leader, which was scheduled for today has been cancelled.

“Today there is no meeting of the BJP legislative party. We expect that the leader of opposition will be decided by tomorrow (Monday) afternoon,” a senior BJP leader told PTI. Meanwhile, the Congress mocked the BJP’s indecisiveness to finalise the leader of opposition. In a tweet on Saturday, the party posted a picture of a chair with a caption which read, “Advertisement -- Urgently needed. A suitable person for the vacant post of leader of opposition of Karnataka assembly is required.”