Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa seems to have consolidated his position in the times of coronavirus. The 78-year-old BJP stalwart has emerged victorious in the last 50 days, putting all speculations over his imminent departure to rest. Just before the coronavirus outbreak surfaced in India, Yediyurappa’s situation appeared shaky. There were rumours of him being removed because of his advancing age and other internal issues. Even the chief minister was looking visibly worried.
A shrewd politician and an experienced administrator, Yediyurappa seized the opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities in the face of a grave crisis. After some initial hiccups, he took control of the overall situation in his hands and has since been leading the battle from the front.
In order to bring everybody on board, he first convened an all-party meeting with top opposition leaders and declared that the fight against coronavirus should be apolitical and one-upmanship has no place in this crisis. His clever move defused the tensions and forced the Congress and JDS to extend full support to him.
When the issue of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation turned communal, the BJP chief minister took a bold step and declared that blaming one particular community for the spread of the deadly virus was wrong. In a series of interviews to the media, he firmly stood his ground, warning strict criminal action against anyone who communalises the issue, drawing the ire of hardliners in his own party. But, that won him applause from other quarters, even forcing the Congress and JDS to jump to his defence.
A few days later, PM Modi and RSS chief Bhagwat also endorsed his views.
A chronic diabetic, Yediyurappa has been working round the clock, holding dozens of meetings in a day. Top bureaucrats who closely work with him admit that he starts calling up officials and ministers at 6 o’clock in the morning to get updates and it goes on till midnight.
“He has held several dozen meetings with the stakeholders in the last 45 days. He believes in consensus, not in one-upmanship. He wants to stay away from confrontations. He is a realistic leader. Even we are pleasantly surprised by the way he is handling the unprecedented crisis”, said a senior IAS officer.
Major flooding in the last two years and the total collapse of the economy during coronavirus have aggravated the already precarious financial condition of the state. The dues from the Central government to the state are still unpaid causing more problems.
“If he somehow manages the finances post-corona, it is most likely he will complete the remainder of his term. He is aware of that and that’s why he is eager to resume economic activities in the state at the earliest. Factions opposed to him are keeping quiet now. They did not expect him to lead from the front” said a senior minister close to him.
However, the real challenge would be an exit plan. One of the top industrialized states, Karnataka is staring at an uncertain future. The rural economy has come to a halt due to the lockdown. Last year’s bountiful monsoon has resulted in bumper crops, but the collapse of demand for agricultural and horticultural produce has almost broken the backs of the farmers.
Speaking to News18, the chief minister said that he was aware of the grim situation and would do everything possible to save the farmers. “We are coming out with several proposals to put the rural economy back on the track. It is an unprecedented situation. Hopefully, we will be successful. We are also looking at the industries closely and have held a series of meetings with them,” he said.
It is noteworthy that his “enemies” in the party tried to launch a whispering campaign against him even during the early days of lockdown aiming to unseat him. But, Yediyurappa seems to have fought them off with his old-style politics and grace, thus cementing his position.
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