Close on the heels of BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa cracking the whip on followers of senior leader K.S. Eshwarappa, a section of the party’s old guard is learnt to have raised a banner of revolt by writing to the former expressing dissatisfaction over his style of functioning. They also sought revision of some of the organisational decisions made by him.
The letter, which surfaced on Thursday, mentions the names of 24 prominent personalities, including four legislators — MLA Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, MLCs Raghunath Rao Malkapure, Somanna Bevinamarad and M.B. Bhanuprakash — besides several former legislators and two State vice-presidents. But, the letter does not carry their signatures.
While BJP spokesperson G. Madhusudhan termed the letter a “prank by mischievous elements” and said the party was not in receipt of the letter, BJP State vice-presidents Mr. Bhanuprakash and Nirmal Kumar Surana confirmed to The Hindu that they were signatories to the letter. However, they did not discuss the contents.
Interestingly, Mr. Kageri declined to make any comment on the letter. On the brewing displeasure of some leaders against Mr. Yeddyurappa, he said it was the party’s internal matter and would be addressed by the high command. The other two legislators were not available for comment.
With this, the simmering discontent among BJP old-time associates, who are upset over Mr. Yeddyurappa’s supporters who had followed him to Karnataka Janata Party getting prominence in the party now, has come out in the open.
In the letter, the associates have accused him of taking “unilateral” decisions while appointing office-bearers, spokespersons, frontal organisations (morchas), and district units’ presidents. “Your act of making crucial appointments without consulting the party or the highest-decision making body of the State core committee has hurt party workers and also given raise to groupism in the organisation at the district level,” the letter says.
The 24 leaders have taken exception to Mr. Yeddyurappa not including Mr. Eshwarappa in the teams which toured drought-hit areas of the State. “This has made workers and the public to believe that there is no unity in the party,” they said.
The letter carries a three-point demand which includes re-considering appointments made to the party’s State and district office-bearers, besides sticking to the party’s traditions.
