Even as the two-day State executive meet of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) concluded in Kalaburagi on Sunday, no solution was found for the widening rift between two warring factions in the party’s State unit. Though the issue did not spring up during the second day’s proceedings, party leaders continued to make statements against each other outside the venue before the media.
Speaking to presspersons, K.S. Eshwarappa, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council, asserted that he would not step back from the activities of Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, an apolitical formation that he mentored to challenge the authority of party’s State unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa.
“There is no question of stepping back. Nor is there any change in the pre-scheduled conference of Brigade in Kudala Sangama on January 26. I will participate in it. Party’s national leadership does not have any problem with my association with the Brigade,” he said.
A few minutes later, Mr. Yeddyurappa firmly declared that he would never accept Brigade in his lifetime. “It [the Brigade] will never be our party’s outfit. I will never accept it in my lifetime. Involvement of party leaders in Brigade activities is affecting party activities and functioning. We have clearly instructed our rank and file not to associate with the outfit,” he said.
In the afternoon when the proceeding were still going on, Ayanur Manjunath, party’s former parliamentarian from Shivamogga, appeared before media demanding disciplinary action against Mr. Eshwarappa and other dissidents.
“Eshwarappa feels threatened by growing influence of Yeddyurappa in the party. He is hell-bent to defeat party’s goal of winning 150 plus seats in next assembly polls. He wants a hung assembly where Janata Dal (Secular) emerges as king-maker so that he could get prominence in striking deals with JDS and play key role in possible BJP-JD(S) coalition government,” he said.
As a token of protest, Mr. Manjunath also submitted resignation from the post of party’s in-charge of Shivamogga, Chikkamagalur and Uttar Kannada districts. He circulated the resignation letter he wrote to State president among media representatives and delegates.
Later during media brief, party’s State general secretary Shobha Karandlaje said that party’s Karnataka in-charge Muralidhara Rao would discuss all the developments with national leaders and find a solution.
“Mr. Rao was here in the Executive Meet and witnessed everything. He will apprise national leaders of developments in Karnataka. National leadership would take a final call,” she said.
Interestingly, Mr. Eeswharappa, soon after the conclusion of Executive meet, left for Afzalpur, a taluk headquarters in the same district, for participating in Rayanna Brigade’s conference.
In the two-day meet, Mr. Yeddyurappa and Mr. Eshwarappa shared the dais and sat close to each other, but they did not even exchange greetings with one another.
