If CM Yediyurappa quits, who’s better bet among Veerashaiva- Lingayat leaders? Many names doing rounds
2 min read
Bengaluru: As the speculations are gaining ground over the possible exit of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, prominent Veerashaiva- Lingayat leaders in the party are nursing hopes on occupying the top office.
The names of former chief minister Jagadish Shettar the incumbent industries Minister in Yediyurappa’s cabinet, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Umesh Katti and Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani are doing rounds.
Shettar had served as the chief minister for a brief term of 10 months from July 2012 to May 2013, after then chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda was forced to quit as chief minister (Gowda had succeeded Yediyurappa, but for a period of 11 months from August 2011 to July 2012).
He represents Hubballi- Dharwad Central constituency in the Assembly.
An unblemished leader, he was recently entrusted the task of by-election to Parliament from Belagavi seat, where the party succeeded in retaining the seat, with the victory of its candidate Mangala Suresh Angadi.
Katti who has a record of representing Hukkeri Assembly seat for eight terms has also expressed his desire to make it to CMO, if there’s any change in leadership.
One of the prominent Veerashaiva- Lingayat leaders of Belagavi region, however, he had to bargain hard to make it to Yediyurappa’s cabinet a few months ago.
Nirani is a third-time MLA from Bilgi constituency in Bagalkot. He is also a businessman being the chairman of MRN Group, with major investments in sugar factories.
Recently, Nirani took over the management of Pandavapura Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane (PSSK) a cooperative run sugar factory on a lease, in Mandya.
Besides, Nirani had recently visited the grave of senior leader late M Rajashekaramurthy at Mariyala in Chamarajanagar district.
Rajashekaramurthy one of the top leaders of Lingayat community, who had rose to the level of finance minister had missed the chance of becoming chief minister, though his name had made rounds for the hot seat several times, said Nirani during his visit.
It was viewed as Nirani’s efforts to ignite the sentiments of the community to garner support.
Recently in January, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had inaugurated various expansion projects of Nirani Sugars at Kerakalamatti near Badami in Bagalkot.
Since then, Nirani is learnt to have been in the good books of Amit Shah.
Buzz is that Nirani’s son Vijay Nirani who has also developed a rapport with central leaders in Delhi, has been lobbying in favour of his father.
However, all these will assume significance only when Yediyurappa steps down from the CMO. But will he? This is the question in the mind of many, especially the political pundits given the political arithmetics that will surely alter, if the answer is YES in the coming days.
A big political churning, the State may witness, especially BJP, that has had its share of both good and bad days with and without Yediyurappa.
– Team Mysoorunews
Mysooru News
