Following Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa ‘s return after meeting the BJP high command in New Delhi, the political situation in the state appears to have become complex. This is evident from the contradictory statements that Yediyurappa has been making about his possible retirement to the media on the one hand and to seers from his Lingayat community on the other.

At 78, he admittedly realises the need to hand over the government’s reins to another party leader, given the BJP’s proclivity to put its senior leaders out to pasture. The savvy Yediyurappa, however, wants to do it on his terms, which includes a good severance package and his two sons being accommodated in important positions in the state and the party.

Besides, he wants to ensure that he picks his successor to run the government while hoping to complete his term as well. This explains the mind games he is playing. While the BJP’s central leadership has been discreet about its retirement plans for Yediyurappa, his visit to the capital last week did fuel speculation. The wily politician, however, did play his cards cleverly while interacting with Lingayat seers, this week, indicating subtly, that he had no choice but to accept the party high command’s decision.

It was an astute move to organize what appeared to be an impromptu meeting with the religious leaders who did not fail to assert that in Karnataka, Yediyurappa is synonymous with BJP. The politician was clearly seeking to arm twist the party high command, using the powerful pontiffs from his community to send a veiled threat, evidenced from their warning that if he was ill- treated, the BJP would face the wrath of the community, its vote bank.

For good measure, even Lingayat leaders from the Congress chose to bat for him. One of the dominant communities in the state, the Lingayats account for over 16 per cent of the population while remaining the main influencers in more than 130 of the 224 assembly constituencies. Because of this, the aging Karnataka leader realises that the party needs him more now than ever before considering the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha polls in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Witness, therefore, how adroitly he asserted on his return from Delhi that he had assured the leadership he would seek to unify and strengthen the BJP in the state, and ensure that it returned to power. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he had stunned the party by clinching 25 out of 28 Parliamentary seats from the state.

Knowing full well that Karnataka remains the only major state in south India where the BJP has succeeded in coming to power, Yediyurappa has now put the ball in the party high command’s court.