For a national political party like the BJP, nothing can be more embarrassing than their top decision-making body, the Central Parliamentary Board, is made to look like a helpless spectator. A party which prides itself on its “disciplined cadre” and never misses an occasion to blow its trumpet now finds itself in an unprecedented state. The virtual thumbing of the nose by its Karnataka strongman, B.S.Yeddyurappa, to its decision asking him to resign, for three days, and then making the more unprecedented declaration that a particular leader, Sadananda Gowda, should succeed him, is nothing short of a revolt.

There has been no similar instance in memory, where an outgoing Chief Minister in any party, certainly not from any national parties like the Congress or BJP, or even CPI(M) for that matter has had the gumption to declare his successor, without the party’s legislative body or its top decision making body, taking a decision. Yeddyurappa however is not known to show any respect to procedures, conventions or even laws, going by all that has tumbled out of the Lok Ayuktha report, and also the various exposes’ during his most controversial 38 month tenure as Chief Minister and 20 months as Deputy Chief Minister.

also read- How Yeddyurappa and his family benefitted from the Jindals

Has Yeddyurappa grown too big for his boots? Has he or does he think he is far too big a leader to care for Delhi’s diktats? And is he someone the party can and should continue to appease? These are the questions which have been dogging the minds of the Central party leadership of the BJP for the last few days, and sooner they find answers to these questions, the better it is for the party and its health.

Karnataka is not new to the game of musical chairs, when it comes to the Chief Ministership. Even giants like S.Nijalingappa had to make way for B.D.Jatti just one and half years after he became Chief Minister, in 1958. S.R.Kanthi did not last for even four months. Veerendra Patil, in both his stints failed to complete the full five year term, his second stint lasting less than a year. Ramakrishna Hegde had a chequered time, resigning thrice during his five year stint. S.R.Bommai was brought down by internal party dissidence in eight months. Even the formidable Devaraj Urs found himself unceremoniously thrown out in his second stint in less than two years. S. Bangarappa, also lasted just over two years, while his fellow socialist from his home district, Shimoga, J.H.Patel, also lasted for only three and half years.

However none of the above-mentioned had to quit under the ignominious circumstances in which Yeddyurappa had to tender his resignation. None of the above faced the kind of indictment which Yeddyurappa now faces. And none of them made a song and dance of resigning the way Yeddyurappa has done and made a spectacle of himself. And no one has used caste as brazenly as he has done in these last few days. And incidentally, one has also to admit, that no one has managed to muster the kind of support he has done, as he waited for the auspicious time to resign.

Yeddyurappa has no doubt created an entirely new base for the BJP in Karnataka, and has toiled hard to nurture it. But there can be no doubt that the methods he has adopted are far from being called fair or even sometimes constitutional. His brazen ways of appeasing his own community, Lingayats, mutt heads by showering funds, land and patronage, his outlandish ways of catering to the two major mafia—the land mafia and the mining mafia— his unabashed ways of using money power to lure MLAs from other parties, have all happened right under the nose of the Party’s central leadership.

If the party central leadership is wringing its hands in despair today, wondering how to deal with a rampaging and brash Yeddyurappa even after he has resigned, they cannot blame anyone but themselves. It was no secret that he was hated for his dictatorial ways by most ministers in his cabinet, as he centralized powers and did not allow most of them to pass any major file without his assent. Most of the non-lingayat MLAs and MPs, had been complaining to the central leaders forever, about his unabashed casteist ways. There were a litany of complaints about the shameless corruption and nepotism that he and his sons were indulging in.

But all that had fallen on deaf ears, as the Central party leadership thought he was invincible with his awesome lingayat vote base and the money power he had acquired beyond anyone’s belief or expectation in the last three years. It was this benevolent attitude and benign neglect of the complaints against him which now finds the Central party leadership facing a Frankenstein, which has the capacity to destroy all that was built over the last few years.

For Yeddyurappa it’s all or nothing game. He wants his own man, Sadananda Gowda as the Chief Minister. The minute this is accepted, he will want his own man/woman or better himself as the Party President, and the litany of demands will never end. His aim is clear—he wants to use them to protect him from the future litigations and prosecutions which he is most likely to face. If he does not get what he wants, he is even willing to ruin all that he had built. Of course, he thinks he can split the party and take the majority away, and either attempt to form another government or even go for fresh elections.

His confidence ( over-confidence) actually stems from the number of MLAs, MPs and ministers still hovering around him and backing him before the Central leadership. It is interesting to note that most of his backers now, are those who he had managed to lure from Congress, erstwhile Janata Dal(U) and Janata Dal(S). They are heavily indebted to him, as he has not only ensured their win but has also bank-rolled their elections and has also ensured that their financial future is secure. And of course many of them belong to his community too.

For the BJP leadership, it is a time of reckoning. Do they want to succumb to the pressures of a tainted former Chief Minister or are they willing to give up a government, their first in South India. Not an easy choice alright.