BJP appoints R Ashok as Leader of Opposition in Karnataka

BJP appointed former deputy chief minister R Ashoka as the leader of opposition in the Karnataka Assembly. The meeting saw Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam, BJP state unit President B Y Vijayendra, and former chief ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai in attendance. 59-year-old Ashoka is a seven-time BJP MLA, was the deputy chief minister in the BJP government from July 2012 to May 2013. The senior BJP leader had the opportunity to work with five chief ministers as a cabinet member. As a minister, he had held various portfolios such as home, revenue, municipal administration, transport and health and family welfare.Announcing the same to media, BJP leader and former CM Basavaraj Bommai said, "It was a unanimous choice. He is a senior leader. I congratulate him. I am very happy." 

#WATCH | BJP appoints R Ashok as Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly

"It was a unanimous choice. He is a senior leader. I congratulate him. I am very happy," says BJP leader & former CM Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/VfHfQKToKQ

— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2023

Ashoka is a prominent Vokkaliga face in the party, which is one of the dominant communities in Karnataka, especially spread in the southern parts of Karnataka such as Bengaluru, Chikkaballapura, Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara, Kolar, Tumakuru and Chikkamagaluru.Last week, the BJP central leadership appointed as its state unit president Shikaripura MLA B Y Vijayendra, the son of BJP strongman B S Yediyurappa, who is a Lingayat -- another dominant community of Karnataka.

(Dr Mysi Patil, State Correspondent)