With the long speculated leadership change implemented, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to reorganise its party organisation in Karnataka in preparation for the 2023 Assembly polls, sources say. The president of the State unit is likely to be changed and many senior leaders who have either been dropped from the Cabinet or failed to make the cut, will be drafted for party work, a senior party functionary said.
Party State president Nalin Kumar Kateel will complete two years in the post in August. “The party is mulling over replacing him with a leader from a community, which is key to the party’s electoral prospects in Karnataka, especially given there have been no deputy chief ministers from electorally key communities in the present dispensation,” a senior party functionary said.
With the party being accused of forming a Cabinet dominated by Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas, and lacking regional balance, these concerns will be addressed during reorganisation of the party unit, sources said.
Arvind Limbavali, a Dalit leader who was dropped from the Cabinet, is in the race among a host of other leaders to lead the party, sources said.
However, the biggest question remains the role of former chief minister B. S. Yediyurappa, who has consistently said he will work to bring the party back to power and even recently said he will soon launch a statewide tour.
“It is unlikely that Mr. Yediyurappa will get a formal role in the organisation, but will definitely continue to be a part of the core committee. The high command will decide on his role closer to the elections,” a party strategist said.
Mr. Yediyurappa’s son B. Y. Vijayendra, who is vice president of the State unit, is expected to be appointed as one of the general secretaries of the party unit, sources said.
