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Yatnal has aggressively positioned himself as the voice of the Panchamasalis, rallying them around the sentiment...
Read More Ugadi, the festival marking new beginnings, has sparked a fresh political shake-up in Karnataka. Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, recently expelled BJP MLA and former Union minister, has hinted at launching his own party while dismissing rumours of joining the Congress. A formal announcement is expected around Vijayadashami, Yatnal said.
A source close to Yatnal told News18: “Don’t look at this as revenge politics. This is not about attacking the BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It’s about ending what the BJP has always stood against—dynastic politics—and also teaching BS Yediyurappa and his son BY Vijayendra a lesson that the party comes first, not family.
" The Congress was also quick to push away the rumours of Yatnal joining, saying his ideology did not match with theirs. Yatnal, a long-time thorn in the side of the Karnataka BJP, has repeatedly clashed with Yediyurappa and his family. He has accused them of sidelining Hindutva hardliners, engaging in what he terms ‘adjustment politics’ with Congress leaders, including chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar.
Each time there were whispers of a leadership change in 2022 or debates about the state party president’s post, Yatnal positioned himself as a strong contender. He has portrayed himself as a leader of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, especially among the Panchamasali Lingayats—a significant voter bloc that Yediyurappa once dominated. The Lingayat community, making up around 17 per cent of the electorate, remains a crucial force in Karnataka’s politics.
“If people want a new party, we will establish it on Vijayadashami," Yatnal declared, suggesting Karnataka’s political landscape could face a serious shift if he moves forward. STRONGHOLD OVER PANCHAMASALI COMMUNITY Yatnal’s grip over the Panchamasali Lingayat community is not one to be ignored. The Panchamasalis, a sub-sect of the broader Lingayat community, forms a crucial chunk of Karnataka’s electorate.
This was the very base that Yediyurappa controlled, making him the undisputed Lingayat strongman in Karnataka. Now, Yatnal is staking his claim, building his own bastion in North Karnataka, particularly in Vijayapura, Bagalkot, and Belagavi. Yatnal has aggressively positioned himself as the voice of the Panchamasalis, rallying them around the sentiment that they deserve greater political representation.
He believes his persistent push for their cause—especially his open challenge to Yediyurappa—will work in his favour. “This is not just about reservations. We want 2D, the category specially created for us by Basavaraj Bommai," Yatnal, a key leader in the Panchamasali Reservation Agitation Committee, had declared in Vijayapura last year.
He insists his fight is not for mere electoral gains but for the rightful place of the Panchamasalis in Karnataka. His battle with the state BJP leadership, especially Vijayendra, peaked during the controversy over the Karnataka Waqf Board properties. Vijayendra had planned a state-wide agitation, but Yatnal refused to toe the line.
Instead, he led his own parallel agitation in North Karnataka, making it clear he would not follow orders from the state BJP president. He also lashed out at his party leaders, accusing them of shielding “land grabbers" instead of acting against corruption. Despite repeated warnings, Yatnal refused to back down, openly calling out BJP leaders for their alleged “adjustment politics" with the Congress.
“The party needs to decide—does it stand for Hindutva, or is it just here to do business?" he thundered, warning that the BJP was losing credibility among its core Hindu voters. His relentless attacks and defiance only deepened the cracks between him and the state leadership, ultimately paving the way for his third expulsion from the party. Meanwhile, Bangarappa, another BJP leader known to be close to Yatnal, indicated that they plan to approach senior BJP leaders and Hindu mutt heads to get Yatnal reinstated.
He argued Yatnal’s actions were meant to strengthen the party and hold leaders accountable, not work against it. Ramesh Jarkiholi, former minister and BJP MLA, is confident Yatnal will be reinstated. “I believe Yatnal will be reinstated, and he will not go on to form a new party," he said, attempting to downplay Yatnal’s political gamble.
However, senior BJP leader Renukacharya, a close associate of BSY, said, “Yatnal is pretending to be a Hindu leader while playing the Panchamasali card. He’s only creating further division within the Lingayat community, which has already fractured, with many now gravitating towards the Congress." Yatnal’s defiance—his refusal to stop making statements against BSY, Vijayendra, and the BJP’s functioning—led to his suspension three times for indiscipline.
His latest expulsion order cited consistent violations of party discipline. In his defence, Yatnal maintains he has never deviated from the BJP’s ideology. He argued the Yediyurappa family’s dominance over the state BJP leadership could lead to electoral setbacks, claiming that many Hindus feel unrepresented and unprotected under the current leadership.
HOW YEDIYURAPPA’S KJP WEAKENED BJP In December 2012, Yediyurappa’s formation of the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) made waves across the state. While the KJP failed to establish itself as a major force, its impact on the BJP was undeniable, leading to the party’s loss in the 2013 assembly elections. The KJP drew a significant portion of the Lingayat vote, traditionally the BJP’s backbone in Karnataka.
This split cost the BJP crucial seats, particularly in Shimoga, Hosanagar, and Shikaripur. The KJP even managed to win several seats previously held by the BJP, further weakening its grip on Karnataka. In Shimoga district alone, the KJP took seven seats that had once been BJP strongholds.
The BJP, once a major player, was left with just 24 seats in a district it had previously dominated. The KJP’s rise cost the BJP dearly, allowing Congress to take advantage of the split. However, the KJP also faltered.
Internal conflicts and a lack of senior leadership stunted its growth. While Yediyurappa’s appeal among Lingayats and some Muslim voters kept the KJP afloat for a while, it never gained enough momentum to challenge the Congress or the BJP. Shobha Karandlaje’s entry into the KJP further complicated matters.
Her growing influence within the party alienated some of Yediyurappa’s loyalists, leading to defections. Senior BJP leaders feared having to work under her, further weakening the KJP’s appeal. Some leaders, like Yatnal, now claim that the BJP’s internal adjustments with the Congress to consolidate power are a repeat of Yediyurappa’s rebellion—one that ended with the KJP’s merger back into the BJP in 2014.
FATE OF BJP’S SPLINTER GROUPS Karnataka has seen several leaders break away from the BJP, but few have managed to sustain themselves politically. While these splinter groups cause temporary disruptions, none have emerged as serious political forces. The KJP, BSR Congress, and KRPP are prime examples of breakaway factions that failed to establish a lasting presence.
Yatnal’s proposed party, should it materialise, faces the same uphill battle. The key lesson from past splinter groups is clear: forming a breakaway party might be easy, but surviving outside the BJP is far more difficult. The party’s strong grassroots organisation and its ideological backing from the RSS make it nearly impossible for any new party to replace it.
Yatnal’s Hindutva and Lingayat-centric rhetoric may attract initial support, but establishing a sustainable alternative in Karnataka’s political landscape remains a daunting challenge. Political analysts say history suggests that while Yatnal may succeed in making a political statement, his chances of long-term success are slim..
