Despite a warning from the BJP State president, senior party leader K.S. Eshwarappa participated in the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade programme organised here on Tuesday, even as he declared that the brigade would continue to move forward come what may.
The programme was organised to administer oath of commitment to nearly 3,000 members of taluk and district units of the brigade across the State. It was organised at an open place where Sangolli Rayanna, the trusted lieutenant of Rani Channamma of Kittur, was caught while fighting the British and hanged to death from a tree in this village in Khanapur taluk on January 26, 1831.
Speaking to presspersons after the ceremony, Mr. Eshwarappa said that he was confident that Mr. Yeddyurappa would not issue a show-cause notice at all, and that he would reply appropriately, if a notice is issued.
Asked what prompted the State BJP president threatening to issue a notice to all such BJP members attending the programme, he said that Mr. Yeddyurappa was not apprehensive about the brigade’s growing strength. It seems that there was still some confusion or doubts in his mind. He would speak to him and clarify all his doubts and explain the aims and objectives of the brigade soon.
He said that he continued to be associated with the brigade only after party national general secretary Ram Lal gave him the green signal after holding discussions with partly leaders in presence of Mr. Yeddyurappa himself. To a question, he said that national leaders equally supported the State party leaders.
On whether his association and those of the seers of various Hindu religious mutts, former Ministers and former legislators with the brigade would impact the electoral prospects of the BJP in the State, he sought to clarify that he would work for the prospects of the BJP as well as the brigade, the latter being a non-political forum floated to work for the socio-economic and cultural uplift of the backward classes, Dalits and other religious minorities in the State.
On Mr. Yeddyurappa stressing that there was no need for him to be associated with the brigade as the BJP itself was organising conferences of backward classes, Dalits, minorities, etc., he said that everybody was free to work for society. There were many organisations independent of political parties working for the deprived sections and the brigade was just another organisation where there was no caste and no single leader.
In fact, the brigade’s emergence would help the BJP in the next elections. All those, including heads of various mutts, who had reservations about associating themselves with political parties, were freely participating in the brigade’s programmes aimed at bringing about social change in the lives of all those sections yet to become part of mainstream of society.
Prominent among those who attended the event included Sri Madar Channayya Swami of Dalit Mutt, Sri Amareshwar Maharaj, Sri Chinmayanand Swami of Mugalkhod, Sri Shantananda Swami, Sri Sevalal Swami, Sri Maralushankar Swami, Sri Sangamanand Swami, the former Ministers S.A. Ravindranath and Sogodu Shivanna, the former legislators Nemiraj Naika and Anand Appugol, producer of Kannada film, Sangolli Rayanna. Brigade president K. Veerupakshappa presided over the function.
