In open defiance of the BJP central leadership, senior party leader K.S. Eshwarappa on Tuesday said he would go ahead with the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade’s convention on May 7 or 8 in Raichur.
His statement assumed significance in the wake of State BJP in charge P. Muralidhar Rao, after holding parleys with some State leaders last week, said: “The central leadership is clear that the party will not tolerate a parallel forum by any name, brigade, or otherwise”.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Eshwarappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, visited Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt in Mantralayam of Andhra Pradesh, and told the media that he would personally oversee the arrangements being made for the convention.
Mr. Eshwarappa said that during a meeting in New Delhi on January 27, BJP president Amit Shah had instructed him to continue with the Rayanna Brigade activities. He alleged that Mr. Shah directed State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa to hold a meeting to resolve differences over appointment of district unit presidents and other office-bearers. But, Mr. Yeddyurappa had not followed it, Mr. Eshwarappa alleged.
During his visit to Bengaluru, Mr. Rao had directed factions led by Mr. Eshwarappa and Mr. Yeddyurappa to restrain from “street talk”, which he said was not good for the health of the party. Mr. Rao also submitted a detailed report on the political developments in the party to Mr. Shah. However, noting the Mr. Yeddyurappa was the party’s chief ministerial candidate, Mr. Eshwarappa, who formed the brigade as an OBC outfit last year, said it did not affect the party’s political decisions.
The confrontation between Mr. Eshwarappa and Mr. Yeddyurappa is expected to worsen with the announcement of the appointment of V. Srinivas Prasad as vice-president of the BJP State unit.
Special invitee
Meanwhile, Mr. Yeddyurappa also appointed former BBMP Councillor M. Nagaraju, a Kuruba, as the special invitee for the State executive committee.
The appointment has raised a few eyebrows, as the move comes amid Mr. Yeddyurappa’s ongoing tussle with Mr. Eshwarappa, who also belongs to the Kuruba community. Mr. Nagaraju quit the Congress recently and joined the BJP.
While Naveen Chilal has been appointed president of the Bengaluru unit of the BJP’s Weaver’s Cell and T.H. Srinivasaiah is president of the Bengaluru unit of the party’s education cell.
