BJP chief’s call made Yeddy ‘exit gracefully’

 Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 19

BS Yeddyurappa was asked to recreate the Atal Bihari Vaypayee moment and mark his exit for a greater gain in the expected “it versus the rest” match in 2019 when the BJP realised that the numbers were not in its favour.

While many top BJP leaders were camping in Bengaluru, closely monitoring the situation and passing on minute-by-minute feedback to the headquarters, sources say the move came after a conversation between chief Amit Shah and Yeddyurappa.

“Exit gracefully if it doesn’t work out” is what Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are believed to have passed on to Yeddyurappa.

Apparently, it was then that the final decision was taken that a floor test will be futile as the numbers were just not available.

While the BJP had been putting up a confident front ever since the Supreme Court gave today’s 4 pm deadline for the floor test, the worry on the faces of those manning the Delhi headquarters was writ large since morning. “The opposite side was equally determined. In such circumstances, it is better that a step back be taken in lieu of larger gains in 2019. The sympathy that the move has earned us has been the biggest gain of the day. In politics, it is also important to know when the game is over,” leaders say.

Yeddyurappa’s speech clearly outlined the BJP’s plans, they add. The high-voltage drama starring the Congress, the JD(S) and the BJP, revealed the strength of the “others”, especially the South Indian parties who played a crucial role in the Karnataka “nataka”, albeit behind the curtains.