BJP Karnataka Crisis: Vijayendra’s Leadership Struggles and Internal Factionalism Explained

BJP State president B Y Vijayendra, addressing Bharatiya Kisan Sangh farmers in Bangalore on November 26, 2024. After a year as president, Vijayendra has failed to effectively lead the party.
| Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K / The Hindu

For a party that prides itself on cadre discipline, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has performed poorly in Karnataka since B. Y. Vijayendra became State president. Vijayendra, son of former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa, inherited a legacy of political influence. Yediyurappa, instrumental in the BJP’s growth in Karnataka since the 1980s, ensured the party’s rise as a formidable force in the State. After being replaced as Chief Minister by Basavaraj Bommai in 2022, Yediyurappa successfully lobbied for his son’s appointment as State president in November 2023. However, over a year into his tenure, Vijayendra has failed to lead the party effectively. Senior leaders frequently and openly criticise him, revealing deep divisions within the Karnataka BJP and its inability to challenge the ruling Congress.

A recurring theme in the BJP’s Karnataka operations over the past two decades has been the feud between Yediyurappa and former Union Minister Ananth Kumar (who died in 2018), as well as his ongoing rivalry with National General Secretary B. L. Santosh. This factionalism, combined with pressure from the Reddy brothers (of the iron-ore mining scandal), led to Yediyurappa’s first ouster in 2011.

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Though neither the Central nor State BJP leadership has clearly explained Yediyurappa’s removal as Chief Minister in 2022, party sources indicate that Santosh’s faction campaigned for it as part of their long-standing rivalry. Despite this, Yediyurappa remains indispensable to the BJP due to his mass appeal, particularly among Karnataka’s dominant Lingayat community, where he is the undisputed leader. Vijayendra’s appointment was thus a strategic move to placate Yediyurappa, who is eager to see his son inherit his political legacy.

Vijayendra’s tenure must be viewed in this context to understand the fierce opposition he faces within the party. Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Bijapur City and a long-time critic of Yediyurappa, has been particularly vocal. Yatnal, who aspires to be State president, accused Yediyurappa of involvement in a Rs. 40,000 crore scam during the COVID pandemic shortly after Vijayendra’s appointment. He has since escalated his attacks, launching a campaign against “illegal” Waqf properties ahead of the BJP’s official initiative led by Vijayendra. On January 19, Yatnal accused Vijayendra of forging his father’s signature during Yediyurappa’s tenure.

Yatnal is not alone in his opposition. Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi called Vijayendra a “baccha (child)” unfit to lead the State unit. Other senior leaders, including former Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, former Minister Arvind Limbavali, and former MLA Kumar Bangarappa, have also criticised Vijayendra’s leadership.

Rajashekhar Hatgundi, a political columnist for the Kannada newspaper Vartha Bharathi, noted, “Karnataka’s voters tolerate much but rarely forget or forgive factional infighting. This has been true since the days of D. Devraj Urs in the 1970s. The BJP has never secured a simple majority in the Legislative Assembly, and the two times it came to power (in 2008 and 2018), it did so under Yediyurappa’s united leadership. Given the current public infighting, how does the party expect to return to power? Vijayendra has shown no leadership skills and is unfit for the role.”

Vijayendra’s inability to challenge the Siddaramaiah-led government or build a compelling narrative on any issue is seen as a personal failure. Although he completed a padayatra (foot march) from Bengaluru to Mysuru to highlight the alleged MUDA (Mysore Urban Development Authority) scam, his graft allegations against the Chief Minister failed to gain traction. The BJP’s defeat in the November 2023 by-election for three Legislative Assembly seats further underscored Vijayendra’s struggles.

Central leadership’s indifference

Amid this turmoil, the BJP’s central leadership, represented in Karnataka by National General Secretary Radhamohan Das Agarwal, appears indifferent to factionalism. On January 20, Agarwal suggested holding elections for the State President’s post to resolve the issue. However, a senior BJP leader, speaking anonymously, doubted this would happen, as “elections have never been held for the position.” (Yatnal has already declared his candidacy for an election that may not occur.)

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The leader added, “The central leadership does not want a strong local leader in Karnataka. This chaos works in their favour, as elections are fought solely in Narendra Modi’s name.” This strategy may explain why figures like Yatnal are allowed to attack Vijayendra with impunity and garner support from other seniors. Undermining Vijayendra weakens Yediyurappa’s influence, which the Central leadership seems to tolerate.

In the Modi-Shah era, Yediyurappa is the only BJP leader from an earlier generation to remain relevant. His ability to sway Karnataka’s voters, mainly the Lingayat community, makes him indispensable. However, if his son is disrespected—or removed as State President—Yediyurappa may leave the party, as he did in 2012, which sunk the BJP’s chances in the 2013 Assembly election. Vijayendra’s precarious position, lacking support from senior leaders yet retaining his post, reflects Yediyurappa’s own dilemma: the BJP both needs him and does not.