Amit Shah targeting dynastic politics may have message for state BJP leaders

BENGALURU: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was on a two-day visit to the state, yet again raised the issue of dynastic politics, while alluding to the Janata Dal (Secular) in what is being seen as a veiled message to the party’s state leaders.

While political watchers feel that Shah may be firing from the shoulders of the Congress and the JD(S), the messaging has not gone unnoticed in the BJP ranks and has created ripples. In the state BJP, there are 15 families with at least two members in active politics.

Among families in politics include B S Yediyurappa and his sons B Y Raghavendra and B Y Vijayendra, Chickpet MLA Ravi Subramanya and his nephew Tejasvi Surya, Minister R Ashok and his relative Ravi, Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavali and his relative Rahgu, former CM Jagadish Shettar and his brother Pramod Shettar, Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani and his brother Hanumanth Nirani, Tumakuru MP G S Basavaraju and his son Jyothi Ganesh, Ramesh Jarkiholi and his brothers Balachandra Jarkiholi and Lakhan Jarkiholi, late Umesh Katti and his brother Ramesh Katti, Endowment Minister Shashikala Jolle and her husband and Chikkodi MP Annasaheb Jolle,
Shivakumar Udasi, son of late CM Udasi, Transport Minister B Sriramulu, his sister J Shanta and his cousin Sanna Fakirappa, Karunakar Reddy and his brother Somashekar Reddy.

With Shah repeatedly raising the issue of dynastic politics, the party top brass seems to be hinting at putting a full stop to the trend. But whether it will be able to do so in the upcoming Assembly election, or go about it in due course remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Amit Shah stayed away from the meeting with state leaders on Thursday evening. However, state election in-charges Dharmendra Pradhan and Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with Bengaluru MLAs, MLCs, MP and district presidents. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former CM B S Yediyurappa, state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, BJP general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Arun Singh, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai were also present.

The meeting discussed constituency-wise strategies and Pradhan instructed the state leaders to ensure the party win in 20-plus seats in Bengaluru. Among other issues discussed were to have local level planning on the lines of Gujarat, ministers to conduct meetings at the ward level, leaders to take 1+1 responsibility, ministers and MLAs to visit every booth, focus on seats around Bengaluru and holding review meetings every week.