BENGALURU: State BJP leaders are pinning their hopes on the success of party national president Amit Shah’s meeting on Friday with BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa and senior leader K S Eshwarappa as part of his efforts to end the rift between the two leaders.
“Shah is expected to talk tough to the two warring senior leaders as their adamant stand and ego clash has led to rampant infighting and factionalism that could bring doom to the party if not resolved immediately. Shah is expected to tell both the leaders to shed their rigid stands and work unitedly to bring the party to power in the next election,” a former BJP minister told Express.
Apart from Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa, Union minister Ananth Kumar, MP Prahlad Joshi, BJP National Joint Organising Secretary Santosh and BJP State Organising Secretary Ravi Kumar have been invited for talks in New Delhi to be held at Shah’s residence on Friday evening.
The state BJP rank and file is getting demoralised with Eshwarappa refusing to end his association with Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, which is organising backward classes and Dalit rallies in the state and Yeddyurappa remaining firm on his opposition to SRB and refusal to make any changes in the appointment of party office-bearers.
Ground for truce
Eshwarappa, who claims huge support for SRB rallies within BJP, is said to be keen to explain the advantages of SRB rallies in expanding BJP’s base among the backwards and Dalits.
But according to party sources, Shah is likely to force both Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa to give up their rigid attitude by asking Yeddyurappa to address some of the grievances raised by Eshwarappa and a few other leaders on the appointment of office-bearers. Eshwarappa’s apprehensions regarding Yeddyurappa denying him the ticket in the next assembly election too is likely to be addressed by Shah.
Yeddyurappa will be counselled to show the spirit of consensus and collective leadership by taking all the senior leaders into confidence in decision making. Complaints of alleged interference of MP Shobha Karandlaje are also expected to come up for discussion.
Shah is said to be ready to offer a bigger role for Eshwarappa in BJP by giving him a free hand to expand BJP’s base among backwards and Dalits with a condition that he should severe his ties with SRB. Shah will be left with no option but take tough decisions if Eshwarappa rejects the offer.