Public feud may spoil Modi’s southern plans

A growing feud between two BJP Karnataka veterans, BS Yeddyurappa and KS Eshwarappa, is threatening to spoil PM Narendra Modi’s hopes of conquering the state.

Karnataka, the first southern state where the BJP came to power on its own in 2008, is scheduled to go to polls in May next year and the BJP is keen to launch its battle for south India from there. But the party was left red-faced when Eshwarappa and his loyalists held a “save BJP” convention, taking potshots at Yeddyurappa, a former CM also called BSY, over his “unilateral” style of functioning,.

“We promised Eshwarappa we would take care of his concerns, but he appears to have decided to take on BSY on his own,” a BJP leader involved with Karnataka affairs told HT. “We will speak to both factions.”

The party won 17 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and believes the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah was battling antiincumbency . It appointed Yeddyurappa as the state chief and later named him the chief ministerial candidate. This, however, triggered a feud within the BJP with Eshwarappa revolting against Yeddyurappa.

The feud started after Yeddyurappa appointed his confidant S Rudregowda as the president of the BJP in Shimoga district. Rudregwoda contested the 2013 assembly election on the ticket of Karnataka Janta Party, an outfit floated by Yeddyurappa when he quit the BJP, and secured more votes than Eshwarappa. Yeddyurappa returned to the BJP and his loyalists got prominence after he was appointed Karnataka BJP chief.

If things work as per plans, an independent agency will be entrusted the task of rail heritage conservation.

While countries like the UK have achieved commendable work in this regard, India’s rail heritage has largely been lost on account of official apathy.

Approximately 5,000 odd steam engines existed in the inventory of the Indian Railways until the seventies, but majority of these have been cut up and sold as scrap. While the UK maintains and operate 1,000 steam engines, just about 10 of these “Black Beauties” remain in working condition in India.

“Heritage conservation has been at cross purposes from the main responsibilities of the Indian Railways as a commercial organisation. Therefore, an independent body comprising experts, rail enthusiasts and other stakeholders looks a better option,” a ministry official said