BJP MLAs to select Oppn leader today

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: The BJP Legislature Party meeting will be held tomorrow (Sunday) to elect a new Leader of the Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly with BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan likely to be present in the meeting. It is inevitable for the BJP to elect a new leader as the budget session of the new Legislature will begin on Monday.

The budget for the rest of the current financial year, 2023-24, will be presented by CM Siddaramaiah on July 7. The opposition BJP had been under attack for its inability to select an MLA to the post of Opposition Leader. Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and Vijayapura City MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal are in the race for the post.

According to party sources, while a section of leaders is supporting Bommai due to his maturity and experience in handling almost all portfolios, another group of lawmakers is backing Yatnal, a fierce Hindu activist known for his controversial remarks like former minister K.S.Eshwarappa. Since the post of Opposition Leader holds a lot of responsibility, the high command is reportedly favouring Bommai for the post.

At the same time, State leaders want a person who can attack ruling Congress leaders more fiercely than Bommai. To satisfy both leaders, the Delhi leaders may choose Bommai as Leader of the Opposition and Yatnal as Deputy Leader, if the latter agrees.

Anybody who becomes opposition leader would have his task cut out in the next 8 to 10 months in view of Lok Sabha polls to be held in April/May next year. The leader has to expose the 'omissions and commissions' of the incumbent Congress Government and the mistakes in the implementation of the five guarantee schemes.

The Congress did the same thing hitting the streets on every issue and worked day and night to fight for people's causes. That helped the grand old party come back to power. The saffron party will aso need to work out floor adjustment with the Janata Dal(S) in the state Legislature.