In an interview to S Rajashekara former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa vents out his anger against BJP leaders both in the state and the Centre. The excerpts:
TNIE: You have been attacking your party leaders in the last few weeks. What exactly do you think this will achieve?
BSY: Though there were no charges against me, I was made a scapegoat and forced to resign after the Lokayukta report on illegal mining was submitted. Even Justice N Santosh Hegde never sought my resignation. But our leaders were in a hurry to dump me. I was told by party bosses in Delhi that my resignation is temporary and it will help the party mount an anti-graft movement against the Sheila Dixit government in Delhi. They promised to reinstate me within six months. I chose D V Sadananda Gowda as my successor and ensured he defeated Jagadish Shettar in a secret ballot by party MLAs. After this, Delhi leaders forgot their promise. Even Gowda said that he would resign only if the central party leaders asked him to.
Later, I was assured I would be appointed state party president. They didn’t keep this promise either.
Instead, our leaders indulged in humiliating and politically marginalising me. I thought enough was enough and decided to fight for people’s causes as the BJP government was doing little for the general welfare, particularly the farmers. As Opposition parties were not raising their voice against this, I did it. I am least bothered who is in power. My focus is on people welfare’s.
So you decided to take up the role of an Opposition leader against your own government?
BSY: What’s wrong in it? When the Opposition fails to respond to people’s needs, someone has to speak for them. I am glad that because of my action, the government waived cooperative farm loans worth `3,500 crore. Whom will it benefit, the BJP or me? It has also put the Congress and the JD(S) in a spot.
You have said there is a suffocating atmosphere in the party. Why?
BSY: I have built this party working at various levels with my sweat and blood and with the help of thousands of dedicated party workers. We were once just two in the Assembly. I brought it up to 120. When none was dreaming of forming a BJP government down South, I achieved it. Like Atalji at the Centre, I played a role in the state to bring the party to power.
Despite this, our party president K S Eshwarappa, MP H N Ananth Kumar and a section of our central BJP leaders had been making constant efforts to oust me from the CM’s seat. They are not satisfied even with my stepping down. They have been making attempts to politically marginalise and humiliate me. Probably, they want me to quit the party and project me as a villain in the eyes of the public. I will not play into their hands.
Who are these central leaders? Why do you hesitate to name them?
BSY: There is no need to name any. Everyone knows who’s who and who is with whom in the BJP at the centre.
Why have you been made a target by your own men?
BSY: They are probably nursing ambitions to become the CM. Under me, the party came to power. I was growing from strength to strength. Several leaders from the Congress and the JD(S) were willing to join the party. They must have feared that as long as I am in the party, their chances will be bleak. Hence, they must have decided that politically weakening and marginalising me was the best way to realise their dreams. Sadly, I was made to quit even while I enjoyed the support of a majority of MLAs. And this, after banning mining in the state, helping the party win 19 Lok Sabha seats and taking the party and the government from strength to strength.
Your party leaders say you have been making these blistering attacks as blackmail tactics to bargain for the president’s post.
BSY: Again, this is vendetta by my party leaders. If I had to indulge in blackmail politics, I could have done it by refusing to quit. I didn’t do this. Instead, I obeyed the party leaders and gave up the post despite enjoying the support of majority of the MLAs.
It was Eshwarappa who indulged in blackmail by refusing to attend the BJP legislature party meeting to elect Jagadish Shettar as the CM. He and Gowda didn’t come to the meet till their demands were fulfilled.
I am not after any posts. I will not take it even if the party offers it to me. If I take it, it will send a wrong message that I did all this only for the post. I am happy as an ordinary party worker.
You said you will become CM again with people’s blessings. Are you hinting at quitting the party?
BSY: I am a believer — both in God and people. I became the CM with the blessings of both. As far as quitting the party goes, I am in a confused state. This is the party that I built from scratch and brought to a position of strength. I don’t know what to do at this juncture. Moreover, if I decide to quit at this stage, it could topple the government. I don’t want to be the reason for Shettar’s removal. After all, I was the one who chose him as CM. I will probably be able to take a concrete decision after gauging the mood of the people. I have already covered over 20 Assembly segments. I will cover at least 100 by end of this year before taking a final call on whether to stay in the party or walk out of it.
On more than one occasion, you have asked Eshwarappa to resign from the Cabinet. Why have you singled him out?
BSY: Eshwarappa has been targeting and humiliating me from the day I became the CM. After becoming the party president, he came out of the Cabinet saying he wanted to strengthen the party. This being an election year, the party needs his services. So, he might as well resign from the Cabinet and focus on party-building activities.
Moreover, he has been saying that the use of money, caste and operation lotus have dented the party’s image. These remarks are directed at me. Why were these people silent when I started operation lotus to form the government? All our leaders enjoyed power when everything was going smoothly. Now they want to paint me in black. Let Eshwarppa clean the BJP’s dented image and bring the party back to power.
On joining hands with the JD(S) again.
BSY: Never. As long as I am in the BJP, I will never allow it.
You are seen as a Lingayat face. Can you influence other castes?
BSY: This is again an effort to restrict me to one community. I enjoy support across all sections of society. None can come to power depending on just one caste. We have won even the BBMP elections? Where is the Lingayat factor here?
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