Resentment brews in Karnataka BJP after Yeddyurappa revamps part

Bengaluru: Resentment within the Karnataka unit of BJP over state unit President BS Yeddyurappa’s appointment of office-bearers came out more intensely on Wednesday with a section of party leaders openly discussing their differences while the party strongman sought to dismiss the developments as common occurrence.

The discontent started to brew with Yeddyurappa appointing office-bearers and presidents of district units, which was termed as a unilateral decision by a few senior party leaders including KS Eshwarappa, leader of opposition in the state Legislative Council.

Eshwarappa, who also served as Deputy Chief Minister during the previous BJP rule, had yesterday held a meeting of leaders from various districts where concerns were expressed   regarding the “high handedness” of Yeddyurappa’s loyalists and prominence given to those who were in his erstwhile outfit Karnataka Janata Party (KJP).

Reacting to this, Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said no changes will be made to the appointments.

“There won’t be any changes, there will not be any changes in the system that is in place now. I will see if anyone deserving who was left out can be accommodated,” he said.

Stating that everyone cannot be accommodated and such  displeasure is common when new people are appointed, he said  “Yesterday if I was there in the city, I would have spoken to  them myself…I have collected details on yesterday’s  meeting, I will talk to them.”

Indirectly hitting out at Eswarappa, Yeddyurappa said, “I have great respect for him, it is us who have made him MLC and leader in the Council.”

“Eshwarappa had expressed some displeasure, it had appeared in the press. We will have to sit and discuss about it. I will talk to him,” he said.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Eshwarappa said  appointment of office-bearers was done without consulting the core committee and it had pained party workers.

“The process of appointment is not right, this is the opinion of party workers. They came and met me and have  expressed their pain. We will find solution to their pain by  discussing with the core committee,” he said.

He, however, added that their intention was to strengthen the party and reward those working for it and bring BJP back to power.

Yeddyurappa was forced to resign as chief minister in 2011 over graft charges, following which he quit the party to form his own outfit, Karnataka Janata Party, which failed to make a mark except to cause damage to BJP in 2013 polls.

He returned to BJP following the announcement of Narendra Modi as party’s prime ministerial candidate ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Defending Yeddyurappa, his loyalist Shobha Karandlaje, who has been accused of influencing party decisions, said she had been a loyal party worker and had in no way interfered in the appointment of office bearers.

“I still don’t know who has been appointed as office bearers. All the allegations are baseless,” she added.