BANGALORE: Alarmed over leadership tussle in Karnataka's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Wednesday began efforts for patch-up.
State RSS leaders held a meeting with Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, his predecessor B.S. Yeddyurappa and state BJP chief K.S. Eshwarappa, and several ministers as part of the bid to broker peace.
"There were some minor problems in the party. We have taken guidance from senior Sangh leaders and we will henceforth work unitedly," Yeddyurappa told reporters after the meeting.
Eshwarappa said the meeting discussed strengthening the party and the government. "We will work together to strengthen the party," he said.
However, others who attended the meeting indicated that more meetings will be needed to resolve the differences.
The state unit is divided over Yeddyurappa's campaign for reinstatement or to be made the state unit chief. He quit July 31 over corruption charges and Gowda succeeded him Aug 4.
Since BJP central leaders reportedly have not shown any interest in accepting Yeddyurappa's demands, he had recently launched a blistering attack on Eshwarappa.
He had accused Eshwarappa of sending him to jail. Yeddyurappa spent 21 days in Bangalore jail in connection with corruption cases in Oct-Nov last year.
Yeddyurappa's supporters almost every day repeat that he will soon become chief minister and that he is the "unquestioned leader of BJP in Karnataka".
Though claiming he will not leave the party if his demands are not accepted, Yeddyurappa has virtually set Jan 15 deadline for the party central leaders to take a final call on them.