B. Y. Vijayendra is an Indian politician. Vijayendra was the youngest son of the Indian politician BJP member B. S. Yediyurappa, who served as the 13th chief minister of Karnataka. Vijayendra was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In 2020, he was named the state vice president of the Bharatiya Janata party in Karnataka. He was elected as the MLA from the Shikaripura assembly constituency by a margin of 11,008 votes in the 2023 Karnataka legislative assembly election.
Wiki/Biography
Bookanakere Yediyurappa Vijayendra was born on Wednesday, 5 November 1975 (age 47 years; as of 2022) in Shikaripur, Shimoga, Karnataka. His zodiac sign is Scorpio. He completed a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) at the Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College of Law, Bengaluru, Karnataka. He briefly worked as an advocate after completing his bachelor’s degree in 2000.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 8″
Weight (approx.): 70 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name was B. S. Yediyurappa. He was the former Chief Minister of Karnataka. In 2008, Yediyurappa became the first member of the Bharatiya Janata Party to become the CM of a South Indian state; however, he did not complete his term and was forced to tender his resignation in 2011 after being accused of a mining scam. His mother’s name was Mythra Devi. She died in October 2004. Some reports suggested that she drowned in an eight-foot-deep water tank in front of their house after she accidentally slipped into it. In 2009, a local court ordered a fresh probe to reinvestigate her death. The petitioner, Sheshadri, alleged that the evidence was fabricated and accused seven people, including Yediyurappa, his three children, and two servants, were responsible for her death. Sheshadri, in his petition, alleged that the death was suspicious and pointed out that Mythra, who was five feet and five inches tall, could not have drowned in a tank with only 4 feet of water.
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra’s parents
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra with his father and brother
He has four siblings, one brother, and three sisters. His brother, B. Y. Raghavendra, was a Member of Parliament and represented the Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency. Raghavendra was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Raghavendra was the Managing Trustee of PES Institute of Technology and Management, Shimoga, Karnataka. His sister, B. Y. Padmavati, was a homemaker; she took care of Yediyurappa in his old age. His sister, B. Y. Arunadevi, was a social worker. His sister, S. Y. Umadevi, was an educationist and a financial analyst.
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra with J. P. Nadda and his brother
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra with his family
Wife & Children
His wife’s name is Prema Vijayendra. She was a businesswoman. He has two daughters, B. V. Maithri and B. V. Jhansi.
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra with his wife and children
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra and his wife during their wedding ceremony
Religion
B. Y. Vijayendra follows Hinduism.
Caste
He belongs to the Lingayat community.
Address
13/2, Malera Keri, Shikaripura Town, Shikaripura Taluk, Shimoga, 577427
Signature
B. Y. Vijayendra’s signature
Career
Politics
In 2009, he was named secretary of the BJP Yuva Morcha’s Bengaluru unit. Many reports suggested that Vijayendra would contest the 2018 Karnataka legislative assembly election from the Varuna assembly constituency in Karnataka against former Karnataka chief minister and veteran INC leader Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra Siddaramaiah; however, on the day of submitting the nomination, the BJP leadership decided not to field Vijayendra from the Varuna assembly constituency. Many of Yediyurappa’s supporters were against this decision. According to some reports, they protested outside the hotel in Mysuru, Karnataka, where Yeddyurappa and his son camped for the electoral campaigns.
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra and his father
Later, when he spoke about the decision to not contest the election, in an interview, he revealed that his father, Yediyurappa, got a call on 23 April 2018 from someone and then his father instructed Vijayendra not to submit the nomination paper; however, he did not reveal the identity of the caller. Following the snub of Vijayendra from the legislative assembly election, to pacify the agitated followers of Yediyurappa, the BJP high command appointed Vijayendra as the general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in 2018.
B. Y. Vijayendra addressing a BJP rally
The Karnataka BJP-state leadership gave the politician in charge of the Sira assembly constituency bye-election in 2018; the constituency was never a BJP stronghold, and Vijayendra needed to ensure BJP’s victory to come out of his father’s shadow in the party. According to some reports, he camped at the constituency a month before the election campaigns began and worked to appease the voters to vote for BJP; they won the election by a margin of 13,000 votes and recorded the party’s first-ever victory from the constituency. The BJP state leadership and the party’s high command praised Vijayendra’s strategic capabilities.
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra speaking at an election rally
He was appointed to oversee the bye-election in the KR Pete assembly constituency in 2019, where the BJP failed to register a victory in any previous legislative assembly elections. The politician continued his grass-root level approach and ensured the BJP’s first-ever victory in the assembly constituency. During his stint as the general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), he organised many protests against corruption and anti-farmer bills and while he organized a protest and demanded a CBI probe into the IMA scam in June 2019, the police forcefully removed him and the BJYM members.
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra being taken away by the police amidst the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) protests
In 2020, some reports suggested that he would be made the State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka; however, it did not happen and instead, he was named the State Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka. Later, ahead of the 2023 Karnataka legislative assembly election, he was appointed as a convenor and was given charge to organise district-level conventions of 7 morchas under the BJP.
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra from a BJP election campaign
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA)
In 2023, the BJP fielded him from the Shikaripura assembly constituency in Karnataka, which his father, Yediyurappa, represented for nearly the past 40 years; he emerged victorious by a margin of 11,008 votes.
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra receiving the certificate from the election officials after being elected as the MLA of the Shikaripura assembly constituency
Controversies
Cases where Pending
- 1 charge related to Punishment for extortion (IPC Section-384)
- 1 charge related to Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property (IPC Section-420)
- 1 charge related to Extortion (IPC Section-383) 1 charge related to Cheating (IPC Section-415)
- 1 charge related to Cheating with knowledge that wrongful loss may ensue to a person whose interest the offender is bound to protect (IPC Section-418)
- 1 charge related to Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention (IPC Section-34)
- 1 charge related to Punishment of criminal conspiracy (IPC Section-120B)
Mining Scam
In 2012, B. S. Yediyurappa, B. Y. Vijayendra, B. Y. Raghavendra, and R. N. Sohan Kumar (brother-in-law) were accused of a mining scam. Some reports suggested that Yediyurappa during his first stint as the CM of Karnataka, favoured two mining companies and received illegal monetary benefits from them through Prerana Trust, managed by his sons and son-in-law. In 2016, all of them were given a clean chit by a special CBI court due to a lack of evidence.
Assets & Properties
Movable Assets
- Bank Deposits, Financial Institutions and Non-Banking Financial Companies: Rs. 2,06,58,553
- Bonds, Debentures and Shares in companies: Rs. 15,13,22,213
- LIC or other insurance Policies: Rs. 4,41,249
- Personal loans: Rs. 28,61,08,206
- Motor Vehicles: Rs. 1,75,000
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural Land: Rs. 1,77,78,000
- Non-Agricultural Land: Rs. 24,31,55,000
- Residential Buildings: Rs. 30,48,33,500
Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2023. It excludes the assets owned by his wife and dependents (minor).
Net Worth
In 2023, B. Y. Vijayendra’s net worth was estimated to be Rs. 84,79,99,271 crores. It excludes the net worth of his wife and dependents (minors).
Facts/Trivia
- B. S. Yediyurappa and B. Y. Vijayendra did not always enjoy a smooth relationship with each other. In 2010, his father asked Vijayendra and his sister, S. Y. Umadevi, to leave his home after allegations of using his name to get government work done. In an interview, while explaining his decision to expel his son and daughter, the former chief minister revealed that he planned to distance himself from selfish people and which led him to do what he did.
B. S. Yediyurappa and B. Y. Vijayendra
- In 2020, some BJP leaders, ministers, and opposition party leaders alleged that Vijayendra was running a parallel government and accused him of corruption charges; they also heavily criticised his excessive interference in the day-to-day administration of the government. According to some reports the party MLAs were forced to go through Vijayendra to meet B. S. Yediyurappa; however, the politician denied the rumours in an interview and pointed out that he was only assisting his father struggling due to his age-related issues.
ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಇಬ್ಬರು ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ. @BSYBJP ಮತ್ತು ಅವರ ಮಗ @BYVijayendra.
ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತ ಕೊರೊನ ಸಂಕಷ್ಟದ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರ, ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳು ಮತ್ತವರ ಕುಟುಂಬ ಭ್ರಷ್ಟಾಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ತೊಡಗಿರುವುದು ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಹಿತ ಮರೆತಿರುವುದು ಅತ್ಯಂತ ನಾಚಿಕೆಗೇಡು.
– @siddaramaiah#BSY_Must_Resign#VijayendraServiceTax pic.twitter.com/jRIos4V49s
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) September 23, 2020
- Some reports suggested that a complaint was registered against him for allegedly entering a temple and reportedly offering a puja with his wife during the Covid-19 lockdown in May 2021. Due to the pandemic, there was a prohibition on entering the temples during the lockdown. While hearing the petition, the Karnataka High Court bench stated that there could not be one law for ordinary people and a different one for political leaders.
- His father, B. S. Yediyurappa, became the chief minister of Karnataka on four different occasions; however, he never completed a full term in office.
- The veteran BJP leader, Basangouda Patil Yatnal, a strong critic of Yediyurappa and Vijayendra, often criticised the father-son duo on different topics. On 15 February 2021, the veteran politician alleged B. S. Yediyurappa and B. Y. Vijayendra tried to divide the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community for their political gain. In July 2021, Vijayendra’s comments about Yediyurappa completing his tenure as the Karnataka chief minister irked Yatnal. Basangouda did not hide his displeasure and hit it out against Vijayendra. He pointed out the examples of Tipu Sultan, the Mughals, and Adil Shah and reminded them that nobody would remain in power forever.
Karnataka | BJP cannot have this CM (BS Yediyurappa) in the next elections. The CM has to be changed to keep BJP alive in the State. The CM will surely be changed: BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal
(20.03) pic.twitter.com/XcKTtK3n1n
— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2021
- In 2022, while speaking about his decision to retire from electoral politics ahead of the 2023 Karnataka legislative assembly election, in an interview, Yediyurappa pointed out that his son, B. Y. Vijayendra, would replace him and contest from the Shikaripura assembly constituency in Karnataka; however, the former Karnataka chief minister’s claims were widely criticised by the BJP-state leadership in Karnataka. Later, then BJP National General Secretary C. T. Ravi lambasted Yediyurappa for his remarks. Ravi stated that it was the party’s Parliamentary Board that would decide whom to field from the assembly constituencies of the state and it would be done so after the analysis of many factors, including winnability and surveys. In an interview, Ravi added that no one would not become a candidate of the BJP because of their families, and the BJP’s decision to field anyone from an assembly constituency would not be made at the aspirant’s home, unlike other parties; however, after some time he clarified that his comments were not meant against Vijayendra. On 23 July 2022, Yediyurappa made a U-turn about the statement. In an interview, the former chief minister stated that he merely suggested Vijayendra’s candidacy and pointed out that the final decision rested with the party’s high command.
- Yediyurappa was one of the founding fathers of the Bharatiya Janata party in South India, especially in Karnataka; Some reports suggested that he opposed introducing any of his family members into politics; however, later, many veteran leaders in the BJP accused him of nepotism and alleged that he tried to promote his son, Vijayendra, as his successor in the party and gave him preferential treatments over others.
A photograph of B. Y. Vijayendra with J. P. Nadda
- In May 2022, the BJP high command denied Vijayendra a ticket to contest the legislative council polls. Following his son’s omission, in an interview, Yediyurappa attached little importance to the snub from the high command and pointed out that Vijayendra would be given bigger opportunities within the party in the future.