BJP sounds poll bugle: B.S. Yediyurappa says party should come to power on its own in Karnataka in 2028

B.S. Yediyurappa urges BJP to secure power on its own in Karnataka for the 2028 elections, targets the Congress government.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran B. S. Yediyurappa, who was felicitated for completing 50 years in politics at the party’s State executive meeting in Bengaluru on February 19, called upon party workers to ensure that the party comes to power ‘independently’ in Karnataka in the 2028 Assembly polls and to ‘dislodge the corrupt Congress government ruling the State’. Significantly, he did not touch upon the BJP’s alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular). 

Though BJP was in power for two terms in Karnataka, it has never won a simple majority on its own. Both times, Mr. Yediyurappa became chief minister with the support of either independents or defectors, through a process that is now infamous as ‘Operation Kamala’. 

The 82-year-old leader, whose son B. Y. Vijayendra is now the State unit chief of the BJP, said that he is fit and healthy. “God willing, I can tour the State for another five to six years. I am ready to come wherever you want me to work for the party,” he said. 

Mr. Yediyurappa recounted his 50-year career in politics, and specially remembered the late H. N. Ananth Kumar as someone who worked with him for decades to bring the party to where it is today in Karnataka. He also recalled the contribution of B. B. Shivappa, M. R. Tanga, Vasanth Bangera, A. K. Subbaiah and D. H. Shankaramurthy, among others, in organisational work. He recollected the many political campaigns he led from Shikaripura, which, he said, brought him to Vidhana Soudha and made him a chief minister. 

State unit chief Mr. Vijayendra said that Karnataka had already entered an election phase. He told party workers to hit the streets and prepare for a wave of elections that are due this year. “We will have gram panchayat, taluk and zilla panchayat elections later this year. Despite our opposition, the Congress government has formed the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), and elections will be held for the GBA later this year. There are two Assembly bypolls and council elections coming up. We need to be in election mode and win all the upcoming elections. These are like a preface to the 2028 Assembly polls,” he said. 

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and BJP national general secretary Radhamohan Das Agarwal, in-charge of party affairs in Karnataka, attacked the Congress government for alleged corruption and alleged anti-Hindu stance, among other charges, and called upon party workers to prepare for the next Assembly polls.