Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is facing the tricky task of taking all factions in the BJP together during campaigning for by-elections to two Assembly seats scheduled on October 30.

Though the BJP has the advantage of being in power, the stakes are high for Mr. Bommai as this is his first electoral test after becoming Chief Minister, especially in the wake of the party central leadership declaring that he would lead the party in the 2023 Assembly polls. A misstep will give a handle to his detractors within the party to appeal to the party high command to keep the option on the leadership open.

“The Chief Minister has proved that he has a grip over the administration. He has to now prove that he has political grip too,” observes a senior BJP leader.

The unenviable task of taking all the factions together was evident with the party leadership revising the list of in-charge leaders for the by-polls to include the name of B. Y. Vijayendra, son of former chief minister B. S. Yediyurappa. He was appointed one of the in-charge leaders for Hangal seat after his followers criticised the party leadership for not considering him for poll management.

However, the party not fielding Revathi Udasi, daughter in-law of late C. M. Udasi who was very close to Mr. Yediyurappa, besides the income tax raids on a close aide of the former chief minister, appear to have made it even more tricky for the Chief Minister to get the full support of his predecessor.

Though theoretically things appear to be easy for the BJP, party insiders say that things may go wrong if Mr. Yediyurappa’s camp or some of the party’s old guards become inactive in these two seats.

Another tricky issue for the party is that Sindgi is in Vijayapura district where former Union minister and disgruntled leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal holds sway.

Mr. Yatnal is not on the same page with most leaders of the party, particularly the camp of Mr. Yediyurappa. The Chief Minister has to now take him on board, but at the same time not upset the camp of Mr. Yediyurappa.

All these issues are likely to be figure during the vosot of the Chief Minister to Delhi this weekend to meet the party’s central leaders.