BENGALURU: The BJP, known to be a disciplined party, appears to be in meltdown after the quick departure of a number of strong leaders from the BJP -- a ‘never before’ for the saffron party. On Wednesday, MLC Ayanur Manjunath quit the BJP and joined the JDS to contest from Shivamogga. On Thursday, backward classes leader Adagur Vishwanath, who was Janata Dal state president and nominated MLC, was expected to quit the BJP and was seen at the Congress office, but refrained from quitting due to a technical glitch.
Adagur Vishwanath, who served as minister in the SM Krishna government, told TNIE that he was assured of a ministry, but the BJP went back on its word. ‘’Vishwanath, who went with expert legal advice, may not quit BJP just now. Another Backward Classes leader and former MLA R Shankar, who won from Ranebennur as an Independent and was made minister in the 14-month-old coalition government, was promised a ministry but later had to be content as MLC.
The list of those who have moved out of the BJP is long -- besides former DyCM Jagadish Shettar and former DyCM Laxman Savadi, there is JDU president B Somashekar and former minister Baburao Chinchansoor who joined the Congress, besides MLC Puttanna. “It is time to do something practical than hold a meeting to decide how to get back Lingayat support,” some BJP leaders said.
BJP MLC Ravi Kumar, though, disagreed, “Some have left, but many have joined BJP.” Among the recent entrants is AT Ramaswamy and K Kariyappa from Sindhanoor, and B V Nayak from Manvi.
There are also those who have not been given tickets but have continued in the BJP. “In many constituencies, we had more than half a dozen serious aspirants who stayed on though they didn’t get the ticket. While the BJP is concerned about meltdown of the party, there is dissidence in more than 30 constituencies. With the exit of Yediyurappa, there is an absence of an ‘elder’ or father figure,” Ravi Kumar said.