BSY's son made chief of K'taka BJP before '24

I am committed to bringing everyone together without any biases.

- Arun Dev

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday appointed first-time lawmaker BY Vijayendra, the son of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, as the president of its Karnataka unit, marking a generational shift in the critical southern province and underlining the continued influence of the Lingayat strongman even after his retirement.

The move came five months before general elections next summer and amid simmering discontent in the party that suffered a drubbing at the hands of the Congress in assembly polls this May.

The 47-year-old legislator from his father's pocket borough of Shikaripura was thus far the BJP vice-president. He replaces three-time lawmaker and hardliner ideologue Nalin Kumar Kateel. "The central leadership has bestowed a significant responsibility upon me. I am committed to bringing everyone together without any biases. Our goal is to strengthen the party and secure victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," he said hours after his elevation.