V. Somanna pitches himself for BJP Karnataka chief’s post, raises eyebrows

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V. Somanna, who lost against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the recently concluded Assembly elections, on Friday staked claim for the party chief’s post. Such an uncharacteristic self-pitch for the party post has raised eyebrows, setting the party circles abuzz.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V. Somanna, who lost against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the recently concluded Assembly elections, on Friday staked claim for the party chief’s post. Such an uncharacteristic self-pitch for the party post has raised eyebrows, setting the party circles abuzz.

“I have 45 years of experience in politics across political parties and I think I have the best set of skills to lead the party in the State at this difficult juncture. I have met all senior leaders, except Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and made a case to pick me to lead the State unit. I have asked them to give me 100 days’ time to see how I will instil discipline and take everyone along,” he said. “There are urban local body and panchayat elections across the State and civic polls in Bengaluru coming up before the parliamentary polls. Everyone knows that I am a master of these elections. I am asking the party to make use of this master,” he said. 

When quizzed whether he has the support of other party leaders in the State, especially B.S. Yediyurappa with whom he has had a frosty relationship, Mr. Somanna said everyone had to agree to the choice made by the party high command. “No one is bigger than the party,” he said, taking a dig at the former Chief Minister. Meanwhile, Mr. Yediyurappa told reporters that anyone could be an aspirant to lead the party and finally the high command would decide. 

In the run-up to the Assembly polls, rumours that Mr. Somanna would defect to the Congress over his frosty relations with Mr. Yediyurappa reportedly prompted BJP national general secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh and Union Minister Prahlad Joshi to co-opt Mr. Somanna, sources said. He was made to contest against Mr. Siddaramaiah in Varuna apart from Chamarajanagar. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said during his campaign for Mr. Somanna in Varuna said that Mr. Somanna would become a “big man” if the voters elected him. However, Mr. Somanna lost both Varuna and Chamarajnagar seats. “I may have lost the elections, but I took a risk for the party and fought bravely without any compromises,” Mr. Somanna said.

Party circles are abuzz that the faction opposed to Mr. Yediyurappa may have propped up Mr. Somanna to curtail the dominance of the former Chief Minister’s family among Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. Mr. Yediyurappa is keen to promote his son B.Y. Vijayendra, who made his electoral debut in the Assembly polls, as the Lingayat leader to succeed him.

With most of the prominent Lingayat leaders, except Basavaraj Bommai, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, and Aravind Bellad, defeated in the recent polls, Mr. Yediyurappa’s camp is keen to promote Mr. Vijayendra. Propping up 72-year-old Mr. Somanna, the senior most Lingayat leader after Mr. Yediyurappa, is seen as an attempt to create roadblocks for Mr. Vijayendra. 

The party high command is expected to take a call on their choice for both State party chief and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly soon. While the names of Shobha Karandlaje, C.N. Ashwath Narayan, C.T. Ravi, and Sunil Kumar were doing the rounds for the party chief post, now Mr. Somanna has entered the fray. Meanwhile, Mr. Bommai and Mr. Yatnal are said to be in the race for the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.