BJP leader R Ashoka (L).
Credit: PTI File Photo
After a delay of nearly six months, the BJP on Friday picked the party’s Vokkaliga face and seven-time MLA R Ashoka as its leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.
However, two MLAs – Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and Ramesh Jarkiholi – walked out of the meeting even before it commenced in the evening in a five star hotel, while two former ministers ST Somashekhar and Shivaram Hebbar, who are miffed with party leaders and are often seen with Congress leaders, were conspicuous by their absence.
BJP central leaders had drafted Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam as central observers to complete the process of electing the Leader of the Opposition.
After this announcement, BJP state unit president B Y Vijayendra in the presence of his father B S Yediyurappa and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai offered sweets to Ashoka while senior BJP leader Kota Srinvasa Poojary felicitated him.
Yediyurappa told reporters that Ashoka’s name was announced by Nirmala Sitharaman after taking everyone’s opinion. “His appointment will bring a lot of strength to the party’s core base as he has been a hard worker and one of the senior-most leaders in the state, who has served in various capacities, including deputy leader of the Opposition,” he said.
With this, the BJP sought to put an end to ongoing debate on the appointment the Leader of the Opposition since May this year.
It also played it safe by placating two politically dominant caste groups – Lingayats and Vokkliagas in the state who together play a decisive role in nearly 190 of 224 constituencies in the state. Ashoka, a Vokkaliga, is now the Leader of the Opposition while Vijayendra, party state president, belongs to the Linagyat community.
BJP carefully chose Ashoka, the senior-most Vokkaliga leader of the party, as it does not want to give an impression that it is dependent on the JD(S) but wants to retain its vote share among Vokkaligas in the southern part of the state.
If the ruling Congress holds elections to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the biggest civic body in the state, the BJP wanted to send a strong message to the Vokkaliga votebase in the city with Ashoka’s elevation that the party has not neglected the community. His appointment is also seen as victory of the Yediyurappa camp, which had succeeded in ensuring his son, Vijayendra, a first time MLA from Shikaripur got the party’s coveted state unit president’s post on November 15, while within 48 hours, it also succeeded in playing major role in Ashoka being appointed as the Leader of the Opposition.
After his name was announced as leader of the Opposition, Ashoka in his maiden address heaped praises on Yediyurappa and asserted that he and Vijayendra would work like “jodeyettu” (a pair of bullocks) to ensure the BJP regains the people’s confidence again and win all seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
While expressing his displeasure, Yatnal told reporters that he was going out of the hotel to ‘have a cup of tea’ outside as this hotel’s tea was not palatable.
Prior to the legislature party meeting, the BJP veteran had stated that barring dissent by one or two leaders, the party would elect its leader of the Opposition unanimously.