Acharyas demise a body blow to Yeddyurappa

BANGALORE: It looks like nothing is going right for former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa these days. Within days after the porngate episode forcing two of his confidants out of the Cabinet, his Man Friday Dr V S Acharya’s sudden demise has further weakened his hold on the state party unit.The higher education minister was Yeddyurappa’s friend, philosopher and guide on all issues in the government and in the party.Acharya was Yeddyurappa’s trusted lieutenant: his advice mattered on important issues, be it on administration, financial and plan sizes of the state, meeting Central party leaders, Sangh Pariwar stalwarts or leading delegations to the Centre to press for additional funds.On many an occasion, Acharya was Yeddyurappa’s representative at meetings convened by the Union finance minister or the National Development Council or those convened by chairman of the deputy planning commission, where he presented the state’s views. This was mainly due to his lingual skills and approach to subjects.It was in close association with Acharya that Yeddyurappa prepared his budgets. In fact, the former CM seldom took any decision during his tenure without taking him into confidence. Yeddyurappa had chosen Acharya as one of his successors along with D V Sadananda Gowda.Similarly, Acharya too stood behind Yeddyurappa like the Rock of Gibraltar during the latter’s crises and lobbied for him with central party leaders.When the BJP was vertically split on continuing with Yeddyurappa as the chief minister after his indictment in the Lokayukta report, Acharya supported him till the last minute and even led trips to Delhi to convince the party on his behalf.Though the present chief minister Sadananda Gowda, too, shared good relations with Acharya, the latter’s sudden death has affected the Yeddyurappa camp, tilting the equations in favour of his rivals.