BENGALURU/BALLARI : Reports of Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel tendering his resignation as BJP state president after accepting responsibility for the party’s poll debacle in Karnataka played out on television channels and social media sites on Saturday morning. However, a couple of hours later, the BJP state office clarified that Kateel continued to be the party state chief.
Kateel’s supposed resignation did not come as a surprise as his term of three years ended over seven months ago. But he was allowed to continue till the Assembly elections. Reports earlier in the day stated that he had given his resignation orally and also in writing. But later, the BJP state office put out a press release with quotes of Kateel saying, “I have not resigned from the post of state president of the party.’’
While BJP clarified that media reports were far from the truth, Kateel himself was not available for comments on Saturday. On Friday, he had told the media in Ballari that a team of seven members, including former chief ministers BS Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi will start preparations for the next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
He had said the party will be strengthened from the booth and district levels and activities will be held to boost the morale of party workers. Meanwhile, BJP leaders are heading to Belagavi for a party meeting on Sunday. They are expected to choose the party state president and leader of the opposition. They could also decide on whips for the Upper and Lower Houses.