BENGALURU: BJP on Thursday served a notice to former Honnali MLA MP Renukacharya for speaking against the party recently. The statements of Renukacharya, who is considered close to former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, further fanned speculation that the party is sharply divided between loyalists of party national general secretary (Organisation) BL Santhosh and Yediyurappa loyalists.
Renukacharya has to respond within seven days. He told The New Indian Express, “As a loyal party worker, I will respond to the notice. I have not said anything false or malicious against the party. I only want BJP and PM Narendra Modi to continue in power. These people who served me the notice don’t want to win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but want to destroy the party and run it aground.’’
Expressing his frustration against his partymen, he had lashed out at BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, former CM Basavaraj Bommai and others. He was served the party notice within hours of his statement, He had said those who cannot win a panchayat election are controlling the affairs of the party. “BJP had suffered a reverse in the assembly elections.’’ He had demanded that state party chief Nalinkumar Kateel step down after taking responsibility for the defeat. He had said Bommai had gone only to the house of former minister Dr K Sudhakar instead of going to the houses of all the defeated MLAs and ministers.’’
The notice stated, “In spite of telling you not to make public statements you have been making statements against state and national leaders in front of the media in a way that would cause embarrassment to the party.” While there is concern among certain Lingayat groups that Yediyurappa is being targeted, Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha secretary Renuka Prasanna said, “If our leaders are subjected to unjust treatment, we will respond.”
Political analyst BS Murthy said, “The cracks within the party are wide open and the knives are out.’’
Lingayat leaders said, “There are many motormouths within BJP who have been freely issuing statements against CTRavi, Prathap Simha and Sunil Kumar, buy they don’t attract any disciplinary action. Only the statements of a professed Yediyurappa loyalist invites sharp reaction.”