BJP State leaders stumped by choice of Anantkumar Hegde

The inclusion of Anantkumar Hegde, Uttara Kannada MP, into the Union Ministry has come as a surprise decision, according to several BJP leaders in the State. Though Mr. Hegde is five-time MP and State BJP vice-president, he was not in the list of probables of State leaders to find a spot in Prime Minister Modi’s Cabinet reshuffle. The State leaders were under the impression that somebody from the dominant Lingayat community, which is their main support base, or a more well-known leader would be picked as that would have sent a strong message ahead of the Assembly elections. Known for his aggressive Hindutva campaigns and image, Mr. Hegde made a name in politics when he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996-97 at the young age of 28. However, he has been no stranger to controversies. In January 2017, he had allegedly attacked a doctor in Sirsi, which resulted in doctors taking out a protest march in the town. Last year, he allegedly made “inflammatory” remarks against Islam which resulted in a case being filed against him. The elevation of 49-year-old Mr. Hegde, a staunch Sangh Parivar member, is being seen in the party as an attempt to motivate aggressive leadership and new faces in the State. “He kept to himself without identifying with any of the groups or leaders in the party when there was internal squabbling. Also, he was more or less under-estimated despite being a five-time MP,” a senior BJP leader said. Mr. Hegde, a Taekwondo (Korean martial arts) enthusiast, is the founder-president of NGO Kadamba, which is into rural development and promoting self-help groups. He has been made Minister of State and allotted the Skill Development portfolio. With his induction, the number of Union Ministers from the State has increased to four (without including Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who has been elected to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka).