BY Vijayendra EXCLUSIVE! 'Anti-party activities increase my anger'

Despite not being in power, factional politics within the state BJP continues to steam. The divide that existed even during the tenure of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has not settled, and now, under the leadership of his son BY Vijayendra, the party is witnessing increasing tensions. Vijayendra has completed one year as the state president. Despite his limited experience, he has been involved in party organization beyond his capacity and has earned the confidence of both workers and seniors.

In the beginning, allegations against Vijayendra seemed to fade, especially during the Lok Sabha elections. However, they have steadily gained momentum, with a growing group of disgruntled leaders, including MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal. In light of these developments, Vijayendra dialogues exclusively with Asianet News Network.

Q: You have completed a year as the party's state president. How was your journey?

Vijayendra: It has been a year since I took on this responsibility, and it has been a journey of learning. When I was given this important task, I was both thrilled and worried. I wondered whether I would be able to manage this responsibility. But in this one year, I’ve seen great camaraderie among the workers, our fight against the corrupt Congress government, and the success of initiatives like the Bangalore-Mysore padayatra. All of these experiences have boosted my self-confidence, and I feel more connected with the workers through these struggles.

Q: Did you say that your tenure has brought peace?

Vijayendra: I wouldn’t say that it’s been peaceful yet. There are many senior leaders in the party with vast experience, and I believe we should listen to their advice and work as a team. I’m confident that in the coming days, we will achieve success as a united front.

Q: Is it possible for Vijayendra alone to carry the responsibility of the party organization?

Vijayendra: Shouldn’t the other leaders also be involved actively? The success of the Bangalore-Mysore padayatra wasn’t achieved by me alone. Many seniors and party leaders cooperated. Our fight against the Valmiki Abhivriddhi Nigam scam was also a collective effort. Leadership isn’t about fighting alone. It’s about team effort, and we will continue to fight successfully as a team.

Q: You took on this responsibility at a young age. Doesn’t it feel like a big challenge?

Vijayendra: Despite some minor confusion, the workers' expectations have grown. I’ve set a big goal to bring the BJP to power in Karnataka, relying on my strength. To do this, we need to identify leaders from all sections of society. It’s not enough to just rely on the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities. We need to focus on the backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. The party faced setbacks in the Kalyana Karnataka, Mumbai Karnataka, and Old Mysore regions in the last elections, so I need to visit every part of the state, identify leaders from different communities, and strengthen the party.

Q: When you first became state president, you were identified as Yediyurappa’s son. Has this changed over the past year?

Vijayendra: Being Yediyurappa’s son is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Many workers and the public are proud of this association. However, some senior leaders may not view it in the same light, and that’s understandable. My father, Yediyurappa, has been both a father and a teacher to me. I’ve been with him for over 20 years and have learned a great deal. While I may be a first-time MLA and state president, politics is not new to me. I am in the company of 199,900 party workers. Nothing in this past year has seemed difficult or impossible to me. I’ve learned from my father’s approach to political challenges. When problems arise, I don’t run away. I face them calmly.

Q: Some, including Basangouda Patil Yatnal, are constantly targeting you. How do you handle such inflammatory statements?

Vijayendra: Yatnal’s behaviour is unfortunate and not new. He’s been creating confusion in the party since the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He spreads false narratives, even calling Yediyurappa anti-Panchmasali, which is completely untrue. I’ve always said that if we attack Yediyurappa, it will harm the party, especially in the western parts of the state. Yediyurappa is like a banyan tree; people from all walks of life look up to him, regardless of whether he’s in power or not. Yatnal’s statements are not only wrong from his perspective but from the party’s perspective too. We hope he improves, but as of now, there has been no change.

Q: Has the BJP high command been silent on the Yatnal issue?

Vijayendra: The high command is managing not just Karnataka but all states in the country. They have not ignored Karnataka. In the past, during the Lok Sabha elections, the central leadership, led by Amit Shah, took disciplinary action against Yatnal. I intervened then and requested that they give him another chance. I told them that if action was taken, the blame would fall on me as state president. Now, I feel that my intervention was a mistake. The high command is observing everything, and now that the Haryana and Maharashtra elections are over, we expect a decision on this soon.

Q: Have you tried resolving the issue by speaking to Yediyurappa and Yatnal face-to-face?

Vijayendra: Earlier, I sent party leaders like Ravikumar, Abhay Patil, and Charantimath to talk to Yatnal and resolve any misconceptions about me. I’ve always been ready to sit down with him and discuss things, but Yatnal hasn’t shown any interest in that. As a senior leader, he should behave accordingly. If he believes that criticizing Yediyurappa will make him a big leader, no one will agree with him, especially the party workers.

Q: There are allegations that you’ve made about those who support your office bearers. Is this true?

Vijayendra: That’s not true. I discussed the appointments of office bearers with the core committee and took their opinions. I gave Rajesh, who was previously the organizing general secretary, the responsibility to consult with seniors before finalizing the appointments. I did not favour anyone based on proximity to me. For example, MLA Sunil Kumar was made the party general secretary not because he’s my supporter, but because he’s worked for the party. We also made Bairati Basavaraju the vice president and gave opportunities to others based on their contributions. If someone questions the decisions, I welcome their suggestions, and we’ll make changes after December.

Q: Don’t you get tired of all the small issues dragging on?

Vijayendra: When such incidents happen, statements from leaders like Yatnal and anti-party activities only fuel my anger and enthusiasm. I’ve learned from my father that such incidents should only make us more determined. I don’t let such things dampen my enthusiasm. However, internal discord has affected the morale of the workers, and we must resolve it soon. I’m confident that we will succeed in this.

Q: Despite the BJP’s fight against scams, the Congress says that the public opinion in the by-elections has favoured them. How do you respond to this?

Vijayendra: The Congress is being foolish to claim that the by-election results indicate public favour. Are the allegations in the Valmiki Development Corporation scam false? Did the Minister resign and go to jail for nothing? Siddaramaiah himself admitted to a Rs 87 crore scam. If Congress is not guilty of the Muda scam, why did they return 14 sites? There’s no personal grudge against Siddaramaiah, but as an opposition party, we must expose corruption.

Q: Siddaramaiah says he is not a fool. How do you respond to that?

Vijayendra: That’s hypocrisy at its highest. If he has done nothing wrong, why not resign and allow a CBI inquiry into the Muda scam? Why take back a minister involved in the Waliki Corporation scam?

Q: Is the BJP using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to target Siddaramaiah?

Vijayendra: The ED can’t conduct investigations without proper grounds. We have a judicial system in place. The central government or ED can’t act arbitrarily. These are just political allegations.

Q: Three BJP teams are working on the Waqf issue, with another unofficial team led by Yatnal. How do you view this?

Vijayendra: It's good that they are focused on the issue. However, their behaviour isn’t right. They are trying to maintain their existence. I have no issue with that, but such behaviour damages the party. The workers are watching all of this, and no one should hurt the workers’ feelings.

Q: Despite being the state president for a year, there has been little discussion about your leadership. Why hasn't the discord stopped?

Vijayendra: I’ve been in the party for a long time, working as Bangalore city secretary, state general secretary of Yuva Morcha, and state vice-president. The seniors entrusted me with this responsibility after observing my work. Even when Yediyurappa became Chief Minister, there was confusion in the party. This discord existed in the past, and it will continue in the future.