Oppn leader —Ashoka to lead BJP charge against CM Siddu, DKS

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In what is being dubbed a balancing act to regain political acceptance in Karnataka, the Opposition BJP on Friday chose former deputy chief minister R Ashoka who belongs to the Vokkaliga community, as leader of opposition in the state Assembly.

A couple of days earlier, the party had chosen BY Vijayendra who belongs to the dominant Lingayat comunity as the party's state president and with the latest move, the BJP has made clear its ploy to win over the two dominant communities in the state.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam and former chief ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai were among those present at the legislature party meeting, where Ashoka was chosen.

Ashoka, a seven-time BJP MLA, was the deputy CM in the BJP government from July 2012 to May 2013. The senior BJP leader had the opportunity to work with five CMs as cabinet member.

As a minister, he had held portfolios such as home, revenue, municipal administration, transport and health & family welfare.

Ashoka is a prominent Vokkaliga face in the party, which is one of the dominant communities in Karnataka, especially spread in the southern parts of Karnataka.

Unhappy Yatnal, Ramesh stage walk out

Even as the saffron party tried to put up a united front in the selection of former minister R Ashoka as Leader of the Opposition (LOP), two MLAs from north Karnataka – Basangouda Patil Yatnal and Ramesh Jarkiholi – staged a walkout from the hotel when the BJP legislature party meeting was taking place.

Yatnal was known to be an aspirant for the LOP’s post. The duo wanted an MLA from north Karnataka to land the post.

HubballiDharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad was also invited to walk out but stayed behind. BJP MLA from Malleshwaram CN Ashwath Narayan, who was also an LOP hopeful, said that he had accepted the party’s decision.