Two BJP stalwarts have crossed swords in Karnataka in what could turn out to be a losing proposition for the party. For B S Yeddyurappa, the BJP’s CM nominee, it’s a fi ght to reassert his supremacy over the party he once split after being made to relinquish the chief ministerial chair under the weight of corruption charges. For K S Eshwarappa, the rabble-rouser who played a vital role in the party’s growth in Karnataka, it’s a battle for political survival.
The issue at hand is the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, named after a 19th century Kuruba warrior, and fl oated by Eshwarappa to rally backward castes around him. Eshwarappa’s undeclared aim is to emerge as a counterforce to Yeddyurappa within the party and to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in State politics.
Both Eshwarappa and Siddaramaiah belong to the backward Kuruba community, a considerably strong vote bank in the castedriven Karnataka politics otherwise dominated by Vokkaligas and Lingayats.
If Yeddyurappa wants Eshwarappa to dissolve the Rayanna brigade and work under the BJP banner, the latter feels it’s time he established his own identity within the party. The tussle may undermine any gains the BJP made in Karnataka after losing power in 2013, but the party top brass, busy as they are with the upcoming elections in fi ve states, have not made a serious intervention yet.
This shows Eshwarappa may have the tactical backing of some BJP leaders unhappy with Yeddyurappa’s ways. They may see Eshwarappa as a tool to keep Yeddyurappa in check. But with Assembly polls due in a year or so, the party can’t afford to allow the feud to continue and hurt its image.
Allowing Eshwarappa to continue his rebellious activities will weaken Yeddyurappa and send wrong signals. Drastic action against Eshwarappa may embolden Yeddyurappa to return to his autocratic ways. The solution lies in reining in both. The party must act sooner than later if it hopes to return to power in 2018.