BJP, JDS bypoll debacle in Karnataka: Seniors and cadres blame ‘dynastic politics’

The bypoll debacle has come as a warning signal to the BJP and JDS leadership in Karnataka as the allies have lost their strongholds in Shiggaon and Channapatna.

NDA's decision to field Bharat Bommai, son of former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Union minister and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, had raised questions over the saffron party's unwritten rule of shunning dynasty politics. The BJP that frowned upon the Congress party and regional parties for practising "family-centric" politics is now guilty of emulating them.

The growing tendency of the party leadership picking the kith and kin of senior leaders to contest elections on the pretext of "winnability" has rankled the cadres and the veterans in the party.

The anointment of B.Y. Vijayendra, son of former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa, as the state party president, built resentment within the party leaving seniors and contenders for the top post feeling sidelined.

The Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan winning Shiggaon, which was previously won by Basavaraj Bommai four times, is a wake-up call for the BJP leadership not to be dependent on big leaders to win elections but to trust the cadres, say party insiders.

Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, the Vijayapura MLA and a vocal critic of Yediyurappa, said, “We never expected such a humiliating defeat in the bypolls. At least now, the party high command should appoint an honest and cultured person in-charge of the state. Arun Singh is a messenger of Yediyurappa and his son Vijayendra. People have rejected the BJP under Vijayendra in this bypoll. I urge the central leadership to give up their fondness for the father-son duo.”

Some senior BJP leaders are hoping that the central leadership would rehaul the state unit too after the new national president takes over in December. The party should choose a leader who subscribes to the party’s anti-dynastic stance, they say.

Yogeshwar, who had earlier complained that the BJP had changed a lot in recent times, said, “Kumaraswamy is selfish. He is responsible for his son’s defeat. Nikhil had lost in Mandya and he should have remained in the constituency and worked up his way. But Kumaraswamy contested from Mandya instead of fielding Nikhil once again. Devegowda also agreed to fielding Nikhil from different seats each time. It was unnecessary and people have rejected them. This bypolls is a lesson for Yediyurappa-Vijayendra and Devegowda-Kumaraswamy. They tried to sideline me but people supported me.” Yogeshwar added that Devegowda had been accused of ending the political careers of fellow Vokkaliga leaders and their brand of politics was had no purpose or direction, but was caste-centric.

The JDS camp is divided over the alliance and the dynastic politics. JDS MLA G.T. Devegowda slammed Kumaraswamy, saying he will destroy the JDS party built by Devegowda by his unilateral decisions. “Kumaraswamy did not consult us while picking Nikhil and did not involve me for the campaign too,” said the veteran, who is now cosying up to the Congress party.

Nikhil was fielded by the JDS in Channapatna, a seat vacated by his father. Kumaraswamy picked Nikhil to contest from Channapatna, though BJP leader and local heavy weight C.P. Yogeshwar was keen to contest on a BJP ticket. An upset Yogeshwar contested the bypoll on a Congress ticket and defeated the NDA candidate by 26,000 votes. The shocking defeat of JDS in its own bastion is seen as the waning influence of the Devegowda family in the Vokkaliga belt.

A political greenhorn, Nikhil made his debut in electoral politics from Mandya in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, where he was defeated by actor-turned politician Sumalatha Ambareesh, who won as an independent with a huge margin of 1,25,876 votes. Interestingly, Nikhil's defeat did not go well with his father Kumaraswamy, who was the sitting chief minister. However, the party insiders hinted at discontent brewing among the partyworkers and local leaders over the Devegowda family "promoting" his family members.

In 2023, Nikhil was again picked to contest from Ramanagara, a seat held by his mother Anitha Kumaraswamy, and was defeated by Congress candidate H.A. Iqbal Hussain by 10,715 votes.

This bypoll has witnessed voters clearly rejecting dynastic politics of the allies. Nikhil, the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Devegowda, was defeated despite Devegowda, at 92, campaigned extensively in Channapatna. Bharat, an entrepreneur and grandson of former chief minister late S.R. Bommai made his political debut though it would have made better sense for the BJP to field a candidate belonging to the Panchamasali Lingayat community, as the constituency has majority of voters belonging to this subsect of Lingayat and minorities.

Deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar claimed that the BJP and JDS leaders and workers had supported the Congress in the by-election. “Look at the voting numbers in the last assembly elections and this by-election. As many as 50,000 votes have shifted in Shiggaon. The Congress candidate in Channapatna had secured 15,000 votes in the last election but that number has gone up to 1.12 lakh votes this time. How can such a major shift happen without the support of BJP and JDS voters and supporters?” asked Shivakumar.

On the other hand, the ruling party winning all three seats, is a shot in the arm for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is embattled in the MUDA and Valmiki Corporation scams. The victory has strengthened his position within the party and the government much like it has helped the KPCC chief DK Shivakumar establish his dominance over his home district, especially after the humiliating defeat of his younger brother D.K. Suresh in the Parliament elections last May. Suresh lost the Bengaluru Rural seat to BJP candidate Dr Manjunath, the son-in-law of Devegowda.