Basavaraj Bommai, 61, is the present Home Minister of Karnataka. He joined the BJP in 2008.
New Delhi:
Basavaraj Bommai might have joined the BJP approach again in 2008, however his household’s political historical past got here a full circle solely in the present day after his title was introduced as the subsequent Karnataka Chief Minister. His father, SR Bommai, occupied the place for a short interval within the Nineteen Eighties, making an entire lot of distinction to India politics.
He succeeds the 78-year-old BS Yediyurappa who introduced his resignation on Monday after weeks of hypothesis.
The BJP veteran is taken into account the tallest chief alive in the present day of Karnataka’s Veerashaiva-Lingayat group, which constitutes 16 per cent of the state’s 68 million inhabitants. His departure was dangerous enterprise for the BJP because the occasion has had robust backing from this section for lengthy.
While it may possibly’t be anybody’s declare that zeroing-in on Mr Bommai as substitute was straightforward, the selection could also be simply justified.
The Karnataka Home Minister, an MLA from central Karnataka’s Haveri district, can also be a Lingayat — though the time period ‘Basava’ additionally means ox in Kannada, it strongly resonates the title of Basaveshwara, the twelfth century founding father of the group.
Before becoming a member of the BJP, he was with the Janata Dal United, defecting, together with 22 others JDU functionaries.
Ironic, since his staunchly socialist father, a frontrunner of the Janata Party and later Janata Dal, is greatest remembered for a landmark battle within the Supreme Court — SR Bommai versus Union of India — that he fought after dropping his authorities in Karnataka following defections. The judgment in that case laid down sure pointers towards the misuse of Article 356 of the structure by the Central authorities to impose President’s Rule on states with unfriendly governments.
Nevertheless, Basavaraj Bommai has remained an in depth confidant of Mr Yediyurappa and has risen within the occasion ranks to final helm the state’s Home Ministry. A mechanical engineer who reportedly started his profession with Tata Sons, he has additionally held the water assets portfolio up to now.
Married to Ms Chennamma, Mr Bommai has a son and a daughter and is a everlasting resident of Dharwad district.
His pursuits embody studying, writing, enjoying golf, and cricket.
