Santosh hints at ending dynastic politics in BJP

By Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: If BJP National Organising Secretary B.L. Santosh’s statement against dynastic politics is any indication of the thinking of the high command, then several senior leaders including former CM B.S. Yediyurappa may not be able to fulfill their dream of getting their siblings to contest in the 2023 Assembly polls.

During the BJP Executive meeting held at Hosapete which was attended by BJP National President J.P. Nadda, Santosh, considered close to PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, openly declared that the party will not tolerate either indiscipline or dynastic politics. This came as a rude shock to a number of ministers and MLAs who had planned to field their kin. Going by Santosh’s statement, the BJP is unlikely to allot tickets to more than one person from the family of sitting MLAs. This could disappoint many leaders including Housing Minister V.Somanna who was reportedly planning to field his son, Arun Somanna from a constituency in Hassan or Chamarajanagar district. Similarly, Yediyurappa was considering fielding his son, B.Y. Vijayendra from Varuna in Mysuru district.

Other BJP lawmakers too were silently preparing the ground for the launch of their sons and daughters into state politics in the 2023 Assembly polls. They may now have to reconsider their decision as the party may not give two tickets to members of the same family.

A senior office-bearer of the state BJP unit told News Trail that this time, the party has strictly decided not to encourage any leader to seek the ticket for his son or daughter. The party wants to do away with the practice of dynastic politics in states going to Assembly polls in future. This is intended to send a message that the saffron party will henceforth not encourage dynastic politics at any cost.

This approach was also adopted and proved successful in the recent Assembly polls held in Uttar Pradesh where tickets to over 100 sitting MLAs were denied to encourage new faces in politics. If this yardstick is applied to Karnataka, Yediyurappa, Somanna and others would have two choiceseither retire or allow their sons/daughters to contest. If they chose to step aside, Vijayendra will contest from Shikaripura in Shivamogga district and Arun Somanna from Govindarajanagar in Bengaluru, said sources.

Adding to these leaders’ woes, party leaders have made it clear that not all sitting MLAs will get tickets in the 2023 polls as the winnability of every person would be considered seriously.