Bharatiya Janata Party MLA for Malleswaram C.N. Ashwathnarayana on Friday demanded that the party act against prominent leaders of the rebels group rather than targeting fringe personalities.
“What is the point in targeting ordinary persons like Sunil Valyapure (who quit as Minister to attend the Haveri rally of the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa). We need to act against the big fish. It will not serve any purpose if we do not act against the leaders who are forcing others to violate the party diktat,” Dr. Ashwathnarayana told mediapersons here.
He desisted from naming the “big fish,” when asked whom he considered big fish among the rebels.
“It is not a secret. Everybody knows who are the leaders of the rebel group,” he said.
He expressed concern that the leaders of the rebel group were not only enjoying power by continuing as Ministers, but were also instigating and forcing others to act against the party.
This was affecting the morale of the loyal party workers besides masking the achievements of the BJP government, he maintained. He accused them of indulging in blackmail and pressure tactics to make the party yield to their demands.
Dr. Ashwathnarayana claimed that the Karnataka Janata Paksha of Mr. Yeddyurappa would not have any impact on the BJP’s Bangalore city unit.
“Most of them would remain in the party fold in Bangalore city,” he said.
Taking exception to reports in a section of the media that he was also considering quitting the BJP, Dr. Ashwathnarayana made it clear that there was no question of his quitting the party.
He presented all the councillors from his Assembly constituency while maintaining that all of them would continue in the Bharatiya Janata Party fold.
