New Delhi:
BS Yeddyurappa, who arrived in Delhi to be re-named chief minister of Karnataka, will return to Bangalore without getting back the job he lost in July. His party, the BJP, has signalled that for now, it cannot withdraw Sadananda Gowda, who was picked by Mr Yeddyurappa as his successor when he was forced to resign on account of corruption charges.
Like his mentor, Mr Gowda spent the day in Delhi championing his cause with senior leaders including LK Advani and party president Nitin Gadkari. Before he left for Bangalore, he said, "The BJP high command has told me there is no leadership change at present in Karnataka."
That promise comes with many ifs and buts. Since he was cleared of some of the corruption cases against him last week, Mr Yeddyurappa has proved to the BJP that 70 of its 100 MLAs in Karnataka back his claim to be reinstated as the leader of the state government. Today, he said he would obey his party's decision but helpfully reminded Mr Gadkari of what he had been told when he was forced to quit office. "I am confident the BJP will do the right thing."
The BJP has sent back both men to Bangalore with an understanding that their situations could change. The party wants its government in Karnataka to present and clear its budget in this assembly session without a change in leadership. So, Mr Gowda stays for now. Leaders like Mr Advani are also aware that bringing back Mr Yeddyurappa to office would deflate their campaign against the Congress of tolerating corruption within its ranks. Naming Mr Yeddyurappa as chief minister at this stage would allow the Congress to shift focus in Parliament to the BJP. The ruling UPA coalition, led by the Congress, is visibly shaky, and the opposition wants to use this opportunity to highlight that fragility.
But Mr Yeddyurappa, a leader from the Lingayat caste which is a powerful vote bank, will not wait indefinitely. He has already made it clear that with his 70 loyalists, he can split the party in Karnataka and bring down the government. In a critical by-election yesterday, the BJP lost the Lok Sabha seat from Udipi-Chikmagalur - the former constituency of Mr Gowda. The defeat is a victory in disguise for Mr Yeddyurappa who chose not to campaign there, allegedly because his party had reservations about the corruption cases against him, and whether that would affect voters.