Denied MLC polls ticket, Vijayendra says power, position 'aren't ultimate' in politics

Karnataka BJP vice-president B Y Vijayendra on Tuesday urged his supporters not to go public with their disgruntlement over him not getting the June 3 Legislative Council election ticket.

Vijayendra, the son of former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, was one of the 20 names recommended by the Karnataka BJP core committee.

That Vijayendra was not given the ticket is being seen as a setback to Yediyurappa, the Lingayat strongman who resigned as CM last year. Also, this diminishes Vijayendra’s chances of becoming a minister, something Yediyurappa is said to be pushing for.

“I appeal to all my karyakarthas and my supporters to understand that power and position are not the ultimate objectives in politics,” Vijayendra said in a statement. “I would like to convey to all my well-wishers that any unnecessary comments on social media and elsewhere will not only damage the reputation of our party but also hurt the sentiments of (Yediyurappa) and myself,” he said.

Maintaining that everyone has to abide by the party’s decision, Vijayendra said: “Our party has and will never let down those who have potential to contribute to the party.”

Recounting his father’s “life of discipline”, Vijayendra said it was Yediyurappa’s “decades of struggle, blessings of people and the opportunities provided by the party” allowed him to bring the BJP to power in south India.

In the 2018 Assembly elections, Vijayendra was denied the ticket to contest from the Varuna segment.

Speaking to reporters, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel said Vijayendra’s name was recommended unanimously. “Maybe the trop brass made different calculations,” he said. “Vijayendra will get other opportunities.”

According to sources, the party may be considering an Assembly ticket for Vijayendra in the 2023 polls.

Of the seven MLC seats for which elections will be held, the BJP stands to win four. The party has fielded former deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi (one of the seven outgoing MLCs), state SC morcha president Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, state secretaries Hemalatha Nayak and S Keshavaprasad. “All four are members of my team,” Kateel said.

Yediyurappa is said to have faced another setback after the BJP fielded senior leader Basavaraj Horatti for the Karnataka West Teachers’ constituency. Horatti jumped from the JD(S) to the BJP recently. Yediyurappa loyalist Mohan Limbikai wanted the party’s ticket.