Finding BSY's successor may be a tough challenge for BJP in Karnataka

Lingayats' support for BSY is a telltale sign that appointing a new Karnataka CM will be problematic for the BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prides itself on accomplishing generational leadership transitions fairly seamlessly, almost always. Stalwarts, such as Kalyan Singh, Shanta Kumar, and Keshubhai Patel — who became synonymous with an ideological strain or a state or a dominant caste and were regarded as invincible in their time — were shipped out once the exigency of demography and the challenges of the future demanded a qualitatively different leadership calibre.  The changeover was cutthroat but the BJP coped with the fallout.

However, B S Yediyurappa, Karnataka chief minister, is another kettle of fish. He will be 80 when the state