BENGALURU: If the intended purpose of BJP general secretary Arun Singh’s visit to Karnataka was to iron out the differences in the state unit, Thursday was a free for all. The simmering dissatisfaction against Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and his government among sections of BJP leaders burst out with legislators making allegations of corruption and nepotism publicly as well as behind closed doors.
Barely hours after Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh urged leaders to refrain from making public statements, MLC H Vishwanath, MLAs Arvind Bellad, S R Vishwanath and M P Renukacharya defied the diktat.
Arun Singh was scheduled to meet legislators and officer-bearers of the party on Thursday to listen to their concerns. What was supposed to be a closed-door event ended on a controversial note after Vishwanath declared to the media that Yediyurappa no longer had the spirit or the strength to continue as CM, a claim that was vehemently countered by leaders supporting Yediyurappa.
“No minister is happy with the B S Yediyurappa government because of his family’s interference. His son interferes too much in every department, be it tenders in the Irrigation Department or sale of land to a steel company,” said H Vishwanath about his interaction with Arun Singh.He was one of the 17 MLAs who quit the Congress-JDS coalition government in 2019 to join the BJP, but has been miffed over being denied a cabinet berth.
Even as his statement came as much embarrassment, Arun Singh brushed it aside. “Vishwanath is new to the party. He doesn’t know our party culture,” Singh told the media while responding to the allegations.Vishwanath’s allegations were countered by M P Renukacharya and S R Vishwanath, both political secretaries to the CM, who minced no words.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who cancelled all his official work for the day, met with MLAs and ministers at his official residence in the run-up to their interaction with Arun Singh. More than 15 MLAs, chiefs of boards and corporations including Rajesh Gowda, Jyoti Ganesh, Rajugouda, Renukacharya, etc, were present.
At a private hotel in the city, another set of BJP leaders — most of them with a long list of complaints against Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa — also held meetings.During their individual interactions with Arun Singh at the State BJP headquarters, the party seemed to be clearly divided into three groups — one batting for Yediyurappa’s continuation as chief minister, another lobbying for leadership change and a third that came with a bunch of complaints against the government, but were agreeable to anything that the high command decided.
“There was no discussion on leadership change,” Arun Singh reiterated on Thursday. More than two dozen party MLAs, ministers, party leaders met Arun Singh and all their concerns were noted down. But, going by legislators’ own admission, arguments for and against Yediyurappa were made behind closed doors.“The BJP’s parliamentary committee decides who becomes Chief Minister. It is not a matter to be discussed on the streets lightly,” party national general secretary C T Ravi told the media outside the BJP headquarters.
“Any general secretary’s job is to make note of what leaders have to say and convey it to the central leaders. No decision will be taken at his level. People needed a platform to vent out and the party has given them one. An outburst by leaders like Arvind Bellad was not anticipated,” said a senior party functionary.
Bellad says phone being tapped
Dharwad West BJP MLA Arvind Bellad, has alleged that his phone was being tapped and attempts were being made to fix him in a controversy. “Unknown hands are trying to target me. I have written to Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri that my phone is being tapped, my movements are being tracked and I have requested protection. I have also written to Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai,” Bellad told the media. Bellad’s name has been doing the rounds as a replacement to Yediyurappa in case of a change in leadership.