The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
BJP rushes Rao to deal with factional feud in Karnataka
THE BJP has rushed general secretary P Muralidhar Rao to deal with the intensifying factional feud in Karnataka. Sources said that the party’s leadership has expressed “serious concern” over the feud between state chief B S Yeddyurappa and former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa.
Rao is expected to hold talks withbothsidesandresolvetheissue. A top BJP leader said that the party will be intervening soon. “We will find a solution.’’ Yeddyurappa, who returned to Bengulurufromdelhionsaturday after sharing dais with Prime Ministernarendramodiatafunctiontomarkkannadaphilosopher Basaveswara birth anniversary, spoke to BJP chief Amit Shah over telephone on Friday. Shah told him that the central leadership would be sending a senior leader to sort out the issue.
The long time feud between the two leaders, which Shah had been able to sort out temporarily earlier this year, came to the fore again when Eshwarappa accused Yeddyurappa of “domineering” the party affairs.
He defied him and organised a rally of Rayanna Brigade, an apolitical movement of backward classes and Dalits in Bengaluru on Thursday. The rally was termed as a “save BJP” event.
Yeddyurappa’s camp has accused joint organisation secretary B L Santosh of backing Eshwarappa for launching a fresh tirade against the state president.
“Eshwarappa was defying the senior leadership by calling for meetings but it was Santhosh who backed him and engineered the rebellion,” Yeddyurappa has said.
Sources in Yeddyurappa camp alleged that Santosh wanted to replace Yeddyurappa to become BJP’S chief ministerial candidate ahead of the assembly polls next year.
A leader familiar with developments in the Karnataka unit said that Eshwarappa would not have “dared to defy the leadership” if Santosh had not supported him.
“Eshwarappa does not have any existence in politics there because he does not have any community support. Those who are with him have never fought any election. This new crisis is because of Santosh, who instigate them,” the leader said.
He added that the crisis will be resolved if the central leadershipaskssantoshnottointervene “directlyorindirectly”intheparty affairs in Karnataka. Sanotsh said that he would not comment.
“The party will react, whatever should be the reaction,” Santosh told The Sunday Express. Yeddyurappa is a key Lingayat leader, who is credited with helping the BJP form the first government in south India in Karnataka.