BENGALURU: In the backdrop of several BJP leaders like KS Eshwarappa and DV Sadananda Gowda openly expressing their dissatisfaction in public and friction with alliance partner JDS, former CM and BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) member BS Yediyurappa rushed to New Delhi on Tuesday to deliberate with the top leadership.
Yediyurappa will also attend a CEC meeting on Wednesday and likely finalise the candidates for the remaining eight Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Party sources clarified that Yediyurappa’s visit to the national capital was decided after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Shivamogga on Monday.
The BJP is facing “rebel trouble” in Yediyurappa’s home district Shivamogga after former DCM Eshwarappa made it clear that he will contest from there as an independent after his son KE Kantesh was denied ticket to contest from Haveri. Soon after this, former CM Sadananda Gowda, who also failed to get a ticket, said he is keeping his options open.
To top it all, leaders of BJP’s alliance partner JDS openly expressed their displeasure over delay in seat allocation and claimed that they were not taken into confidence for the BJP’s list.
The party is also facing a push-back from some leaders against the candidature of former CM Jagadish Shettar, who is keen to contest from Belagavi Lok Sabha constituency. In Chikkaballapur, the party is facing issues with finalising the candidate.
Meanwhile, Mandya MP Sumalatha is camping in New Delhi, seeking a BJP ticket from the constituency.
Before leaving for Delhi, Yediyurappa discussed these issues with senior BJP leader Govind Karjol, BJP state president BY Vijayendra and others. “Yediyurappa will explain the ongoing issues in Karnataka to central leaders and based on their instruction, the leaders here are expected to take steps,” said a source.