Yeddyurappa's master-plan to TOPPLE BJP govt in Karnataka

Yeddyurappa is planning his strategy quietly as he doesn't want to be blamed if the government falls before the end of its tenure, reveals Vicky Nanjappa

Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has promised the Bharatiya Janata Party that he will ensure that the saffron party wins the forthcoming by-poll in Bellary rural.

Yeddyurappa will start campaigning against BJP-leader-turned-independent-candidate B Sriramulu from Tuesday.

Though the by-poll may be perceived as a prestige issue for Yeddyurappa, his aides have made it clear that the result will have no bearing on his political career.

In a very confident statement, the former CM has told the media that he will "deliver Bellary 101 per cent" to the BJP.

But political watchers suspect that Yeddyurappa and his followers want a weak BJP government in Karnataka, as that will boost his chances of emerging as a strong leader again.

The former CM can count on the sympathy factor right now as many feel that he has been sidelined by the party despite being single-handedly responsible for its rise to power in Karnataka.

According to sources, Yeddyurappa has his eyes on the post of the state party president. He has been telling the central leadership to appoint him as the party's leader and he wants to tour the state and rebuild the party.

Meanwhile, the BJP's state unit wants to project either D Y Sadananda Gowda or K S Eshwarappa as the next leader. According to sources, Yeddyurappa wants the current government to be dismantled in the next six months, so that he can cash in on the sympathy factor in the next polls.

The BJP knows that it will have to depend on the former CM to garner votes if the state goes to polls anytime soon. The party would need at least one year to mould a reliable leader and project him as an alternative to Yeddyurappa.

The Bellary by-poll may turn out to be a litmus test for Yeddyurappa as a loss here will dent his image as a star campaigner. But the faction led by Yeddyurappa is all set to turn it into a win-win situation, irrespective of the outcome.

In case the party wins in Bellary, Yeddyurappa will get all the credit for the victory.

Sixty per cent of the electorate in Bellary rural is from backward castes while the remaining 40 per cent comprises Lingayats. In case the BJP loses in Bellary rural, Yeddyurappa will claim that the Lingayat community -- his traditional support base -- didn't vote in favour of the BJP as it was upset about him being sidelined in the party.

Yeddyurappa is planning his strategy quietly as he doesn't want to be blamed if the government falls before the end of its tenure. But his ultimate gameplan is to oust the current government and lead from the front in the ensuing elections.

But Yeddyurappa also has his hands full with the numerous legal cases he is wrangled in right now. If the court makes a sudden move on any of the cases he is implicated in, his entire strategy will fall flat.

Ironically, though Yeddyurappa will campaign against Sriramulu in Bellary, he is secretly hoping that the mining baron manages to win.

If Sriramulu wins the polls, he might consider floating a new party. But he will wait for the release of former minister and close friend Janardhan Reddy, who is currently behind bars on charges of illegal mining, before taking any such decision. 

A new party would attract some sitting legislators from the BJP, marking a significant step towards corroding the BJP's foundations in Karnataka.

But Yeddyurappa's supporters have often clarified that the wily leader will never consider a formal tie-up with Sriramulu. The former CM will stay on in the BJP as he wants to be perceived as a wronged fighter, not as someone who ditches the party for short-term gains.

The BJP, meanwhile, is keeping its fingers crossed and hoping that the state doesn't go to polls for at least another year. It is counting on the fact that Opposition parties like the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular are also not ready to face an election.