THE BJP PUT up its best show ever in Karnataka in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, winning 25 of 28 seats in the state. A good harvest again is essential for the party to achieve its target of 400 plus seats this time and to preserve its hopes of making inroads in south India intact.
It is also the state party president B.Y. Vijayendra's first big test. He travelled the length and breadth of the state in the past four months to make the cadres battle-ready. But a bigger challenge seems to be the resentment among those denied the tickets.
Vijayendra, 48, is the younger of the two sons of former chief minister and Lingayat strongman B.S. Yediyurappa. He has been battling hostility within the party ever since his elevation to the top post, but the ticket distribution triggered an open revolt. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, he talks about the challenges within the party, the impact of the Congress's guarantees and Modi's guarantees and his party's strategies. Excerpts:
Q/The BJP leadership took six months after losing the assembly elections to appoint you as state president. Why?
A/ After the major setback in the assembly polls, where the BJP was reduced to 66 seats and the Congress won 135, the party leadership was in introspection, and trying to pin down the reasons for the debacle. It was also the time when the party was scouting for the next party president considering the ground realities in the state.
Q/ Did you get the post because you are Yediyurappa's son?
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Hat-Trick Or Has-Beens?
India look to win their third straight Test series in Australia, but ageing superstars and recent humiliation at home have cast a shadow on their hopes
Constipation Can Put Your Heart At Risk
PEOPLE WITH CONSTIPATION have an increased risk of major cardiac events, including heart attack, stroke and heart failure, especially if they also have high blood pressure, finds an international study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology.
Too Much Sitting Can Accelerate Ageing
SITTING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS can harm the heart and accelerate ageing, even if you are young and get the minimum recommended amount of daily exercise, according to a US study published in the journal PLOS One.
Efficiency and innovation
As health care evolves, professionals must employ innovative methods to refine their skills
Level up
Only 30 per cent of needy patients are able to undergo transplant in India; we need more dedicated transplant centres
HOPE STEMS FROM A CELL
While stem cell therapies have shown success in treating blood disorders, orthopaedic ailments, autoimmune diseases and eye issues, there is hope that they can one day treat patients with heart disease, blindness, Parkinson's, HIV, diabetes and spinal cord injuries
Mind matters
Your mindset can limit or expand your physical ability
Cutting edge
Would you go under the knife if a robot was the one holding it? Or would you say, \"No way, I need a human touch\"? You might have to decide soon because a robot that can imitate skilled human surgeons is already here.
The smallest cut
Minimally invasive surgeries have a bright future, with virtual reality and 3D procedures offering greater precision and AI on the horizon
Signalling a revolution
Canadian scientist and entrepreneur Sachdev Sidhu is focused on bringing cutting-edge antibody engineering to his country of origin
