BJP’s crisis in Karnataka

The most worrying thing at the moment for BJP is not whether Narendr Modi should be Prime Minister or not but that it is in a deep crisis in Karnataka which it chooses to ignore; it’s stronghold in south and perceived to be the gateway to southern India. The powerful Lingayat leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa has broken away from the party after over 40 years and launched his own political party – Karnataka Janata Party. He has been cribbing ever since he has lost his Chief Ministership and BJP has not handled the temperamental leader very well indicating a clear divide between the Delhi Durbar and realties of southern India.  In fact, it has not handled the state very well which explains why there have been three Chief Ministers in four years. According to BS Yeddyruappa, he has the support of 40 MLAs out of the 119 BJP legislators in the State Assembly. The BJP has a slender majority of 6 in the 225-strong Assembly. This puts the very fate of the Jagdish Shettar government in jeopardy.

Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj feels Narendra Modi is good for PM and the leader of the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley says that the party is set to capitalize on him for elections in 2014. But for this they have to win adequate seats in the general elections. They are trying to deflect the real problems within BJP. Endorse Narendra Modi by all means but the BJP must first deal with its internal problems. Modi appears to be the only saving grace for the party?

Nitin Gadkari is in no position no impose discipline in the party or crack a whip which the party boasted of, given that he himself is in big trouble. The BJP is speaking in different voices and seems to be pulling in different directions. Narendra Modi is the only positive thing happening to BJP and all seem to hide the real internal rift by rallying behind him. And the irony is that Modi needs no endorsement from anyone, he is an unchallenged BJP leader in Gujarat though he has his own problems in the state. As I had said earlier, BJP’s self-goals have allowed Congress to consolidate their position and grow in confidence to face the next general election in 2014.