Politics

Will Yeddyurappa be fourth time lucky as Karnataka CM to complete his term? History says otherwise

Updated : July 25, 2019 06:49 AM IST

BS Yeddyurappa became chief minister for the first time in 2007 but remained in office for only seven days.

In May 2008, Yeddyurappa led the BJP to a historic victory in the state and became chief minister for a second time.

Neither BJP nor JDS have been able to complete a full term in Karnataka.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is set to elect its state president BS Yeddyurappa as its legislative party leader and stake claim to form the government in Karnataka after the exit of the 14-month old Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress coalition government on Tuesday. But a question on the back of the mind of most political watchers would be: Will Yeddyurappa be fourth-time lucky to complete his term as Karnataka CM?

From Yeddyurappa's standpoint, the political situation looks a lot more favourable this time as the resignations of 15 rebel MLAs has reduced the effective strength of the 225-member House to 210 and the halfway mark for simple majority brought down to 106.

In case of bypolls, the chances of BJP improving its seat tally are higher given the party’s stellar performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Not only the BJP won 25 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats at stake but it also ensured victory for Sumalatha Ambarish, an independent candidate from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency defeating HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil.

Yeddyurappa is credited with winning the BJP its first government in the south. He is also the tallest Lingayat leader and has ensured that the influential and powerful community rallies behind the saffron party.

But Yeddyurappa's political fortunes have seen ups and downs, impacting his stints as Karnataka CM as well. Yeddyurappa became chief minister for the first time in 2007 but remained in office for only seven days after the JD(S) withdrew support and the president's rule was imposed in the state.

In May 2008, Yeddyurappa led the BJP to a historic victory in the state and became chief minister for a second time, but he had to quit in July 2011 due to alleged corruption.

His third stint as chief minister was for only six days from May 17 to May 23 in 2018 as he resigned due to lack of majority.

In fact, neither BJP nor JDS have been able to complete a full term in Karnataka. Even from the Congress party, which has reigned the longest in the state, only three chief ministers have been able to complete their full five-year term in the history of Karnataka.

S Nijalingappa (1962-68), D Devaraja Urs (1972-77) and Siddaramaiah (2013-2018) were the chief ministers who had completed their full term.

Since 1956 when Karnataka was formed, the state has seen 25 chief ministers and maximum of them were from the Congress.

Will Yeddyurappa be fourth time lucky as Karnataka CM to complete his term? History says otherwise

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