RSS intervenes to end BS Yeddyurappa-KS Eshwarappa feud

BENGALURU: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has stepped in to arrest the drift in Karnataka BJP, which is caught in a cold war between seniors BS Yeddyurappa and KS Eshwarappa.
The Sangh may hold parleys with the two veteran leaders, who were bred in the RSS stable, to mend fences at the coordination committee meeting to be held in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Though the RSS claimed the meeting had nothing to do with BJP's internal problems, sources said it was intended to iron out differences between the leaders.The issue is expected to come up for discussion at the meeting.
The warring leaders, who were reluctant to meet each other, will come face-to-face for the first time since they parted ways some six months ago.
BSY to meet leaders
Yeddyurappa has summoned a meeting of disgruntled BJP leaders on Thursday after 24 of them reportedly shot off a letter to him conveying their displeasure on the way the party under his leadership has been functioning.
The meeting is being held to hear their complaints and resolve the issues haunting the saffron party.
BJP spokesperson G Madhusudhan had earlier dubbed the letter a "prank by mischievous elements" and said the party hadn't received it. The letter, reportedly signed by 24 leaders, highlighted their concern over the ongoing tussle between two veterans which could hurt the party's prospects in the 2018 assembly polls. The leaders sought revision of some organizational decisions made by Yeddyurappa.
The letter purportedly written by party office-bearers and legislators, including MLA Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, MLCs Raghunath Rao Malkapure, Somanna Bevinamarad and M B Bhanuprakash, had accused Yeddyurappa of taking unilateral decisions while appointing state and district office-bearers.
They have also taken exception to Eshwarappa not being included in the teams which toured drought-hit areas of the state.