BY Vijayendra Yediyurappa, the son of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, has been appointed as the new president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for Karnataka. He assumes the role as the tenth state chief for the BJP in Karnataka, succeeding Nalin Kumar Kateel, who held the position since 2019.
In a statement released on Friday, the BJP said, “BJP National President Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda has appointed Shri Vijayendra Yediyurappa, MLA as State President of Karnataka, BJP. This appointment comes into immediate effect."
Vijayendra is a first-time MLA from Shikaripura
In the recent assembly elections, Vijayendra emerged victorious as an MLA from the Shikaripura constituency, a seat formerly held by his father. The BJP's central leadership is yet to announce the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the southern state, where the party did not secure a majority in the assembly elections.
Following his withdrawal from electoral politics, BS Yediyurappa extensively campaigned for the BJP throughout the state, aiming to support the party in retaining power. He particularly focused on Shikaripura, encouraging voters in the constituency to overwhelmingly support his son, BY Vijayendra, in the election.
Meanwhile, there had been a contest for the position among senior BJP leaders from the state. Notable figures such as Shoba Karandlaje, CT Ravi, and V. Sunil Kumar were in contention for the role. However, the party opted for Vijayendra, a first-time MLA who is junior to several other BJP leaders in the state.
