The speculation of leadership change has again surfaced in BJP in Karnataka with a section of party MLAs expressing displeasure over the functioning style of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.
While Tourism Minister C.P. Yogeshwar and MLA Arvind Bellad are in Delhi apparently to air their grievances with the party Central leadership, several party old timers are demanding that the Chief Minister should immediately convene a meeting of the legislature party to discuss the issues related to governance.
This time they are insisting that the meeting be attended by party central observers. Party insiders feel that the demand for holding a legislature party meeting could be to set the stage ready for leadership change.
“We mainly have three issues. First is that we are not happy with the manner in which the government has handled the COVID-19 situation. The government’s slack response to the pandemic hit people is showing the party and its legislators also in poor light,” an MLA from the BJP told The Hindu .
The other issue that has ruffled feathers is the government’s decision to sell 3,677 acres of government land to Jindal company. The third issue, according to them, is the interference of Chief Minister’s son B.Y. Vijayendra in administration.
Meanwhile, the BJP leaders who are camping in Delhi have claimed that their visit has nothing to do with leadership change. But the circumstances under which they have made their visit to the national capital has earned the wrath of the Chief Minister’s camp.
Some of the prominent leaders, who have not identified themselves with dissidents group, too maintain that leadership change may be “inevitable” now considering the age of Mr. Yediyurappa, who is 78-year-old.
Senior Minister R. Ashok, while replying to a query by mediapersons in Bengaluru on Wednesday, confirmed that a few leaders including ministers were making efforts to effect a leadership change. However, he clarified that, his priorities were different, indicating that he was focusing on COVID-19.
