By BD Narayankar Bengaluru, March 31 (Reporter) Despite being out of office, former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa continues to hold significant sway over the party's affairs in Karnataka. The central leadership of the BJP is portrayed as relying on him once again for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, indicating his continued importance within the party. Yediyurappa, as an 81-year-old central election committee member of the BJP, is regarded as the key figure in various aspects of the party's preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha election in Karnataka. Specifically, he is perceived as the go-to person for tasks such as selecting candidates and managing dissent within the party across multiple constituencies. The former CM, a member of the BJP Parliamentary Board, has high stakes in ensuring the success of his son, BY Vijayendra, as the party's state President in Karnataka. He is depicted as having a vested interest in consolidating his son's position and silencing critics who have raised objections to Vijayendra's appointment, particularly due to the perceived overlooking of more experienced party members for the role. Yediyurappa, an octogenarian who has retired from electoral politics, is seeking acknowledgment and recognition from the BJP's central leadership. Despite his retirement, Yediyurappa is portrayed as aiming to maintain his prominence within the party and position himself as a key figure in the upcoming election. Yediyurappa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are being projected as significant symbols for the BJP's electoral campaign in Karnataka to maximize electoral gains. Modi's characterization of Shivamogga as Yediyurappa's "Tapobhoomi" or a place of spiritual practice underscores the deep respect and admiration the Prime Minister holds for Yediyurappa's political journey and achievements. Modi's words emphasized Yediyurappa's longstanding association with the region, portraying it as a place where Yediyurappa made significant contributions to the growth and development of the BJP, even during its earlier days as the Jana Sangh. However, Yediyurappa faced attempts at sidelining within the BJP during the Assembly election in May of the previous year. Despite these efforts, the BJP was unable to secure victory, losing power to the Congress and winning only 66 seats out of the total 224-member Assembly. Several factors contributed to the BJP's defeat, including corruption issues, the consolidation of minority votes in favor of the Congress, and the perception of a section of Lingayats drifting away from the party. However, despite the setback, the party reposed faith in Yediyurappa by appointing his son, Vijayendra Yediyurappa, as the State unit President in November of the same year. Yediyurappa's influence is evident in the allocation of tickets to his elder son BY Raghavendra in Shimoga and several loyalists, including Shobha Karandlaje in Bengaluru North, Gayatri Siddeshwara in Davangere, former CM Basavaraj Bommai in Haveri, and Govind M Karjol in Chitradurga. Additionally, Yediyurappa is credited with selecting Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, a scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family, for the Mysuru seat, replacing MP Pratap Simha. Despite these decisions, Yediyurappa faced backlash from several aspirants who did not receive tickets. Senior leaders such as JC Madhuswamy from Tumakuru, former MLAs MP Renukacharya and SA Ravindranatha from Chitradurga, MP Karadi Sanganna from Koppal, and some party leaders from Belagavi openly expressed their dissatisfaction with Yediyurappa for not supporting their candidature. Veteran party leader KS Eshwarappa's rebellion, announced his decision to contest as an independent candidate from Shivamogga, where Yediyurappa's son, Raghavendra, is the BJP's candidate. Eshwarappa blamed Yediyurappa for his son KE Kantesh not receiving a ticket from the neighboring Haveri constituency. In response to the dissent within the party, Yediyurappa has taken proactive steps to address the grievances of disgruntled leaders. He has personally met with some of them in an attempt to mitigate tensions and resolve issues within the party ranks. Despite controversies and corruption allegations surrounding Yediyurappa, his leadership is credited with the BJP's electoral successes in Karnataka. The party's performance in successive elections has been perceived as stronger under his leadership, indicating his significance in delivering electoral victories...////...