Days after the rift within the State BJP unit seems to have blown over at least for now, State unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday announced a ‘people connect’ campaign led by him. This is being seen as an attempt to consolidate his position in the party unit and project a united front.
Mr. Yeddyurappa announced that all the State leaders, including K.S. Eshwarappa, who has been leading a campaign against him, would participate in the tour. Reacting to reports of Mr. Eshwarappa reviewing drought-relief works in some districts, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that as a Leader of the Opposition he was discharging his duties and would join the party programme as well.
Month-long tour
Mr. Yeddyurappa announced a month-long tour across the State to study the effects of drought. The tour will begin on Thursday from Tumakuru and end in Vijayapura on June 29.
Mr. Yeddyurappa came down heavily on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government and what he termed “inefficiency of the State government in handling severe drought.” “Though the government claims to favour the Dalits and backward classes, he stopped many benefit schemes for them. Last year, not even half of the funds earmarked for SCs, STs was released,” he alleged.