Perhaps the most compelling political portrait of Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurappa was offered by James Manor, the distinguished political scientist and long-time observer of Karnataka politics. In an essay aptly titled ‘The Trouble with Yediyurappa’ in the Economic & Political Weekly in March 2011, Manor catalogued BSY’s administrative and political follies, arguing that only the “cultural and cognitive distance that separates New Delhi from Karnataka” had allowed him to remain in power. He was also sceptical of BSY’s hold over the Lingayat community and speculated that only the fear of a split within the BJP kept him in office. In a devastating opening section, Manor described a meeting with two BJP activists, who shared their despair with him: “It was the only time in 40 years of studying Karnataka politics that I’ve seen someone weep in frustration with his own party’s leader.”