Why Rebel-torn Karnataka Gives Sleepless Nights to BJP High Command

Bengaluru: The BJP under Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in the last three years has successfully settled leadership issues both at the Centre and states without even a murmur of discontent. But for a party which now avows to completely dominate national politics from 'panchayat to Parliament', Karnataka remains the Achilles Heel that continues to flare up to the discomfiture of the high command.

In August last year, Eshwarappa had launched the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, an “apolitical” forum, for those belonging to the scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and other backward castes (OBCs). ALSO READ | Eshwarappa Leads Karnataka BJP Rebels' Meet to Criticise Yeddyurappa

Matters came to head on Thursday when rebel group, led by former deputy chief minister KS Eshwarappa, held a meeting and publicly criticised Yeddyurappa’s style of functioning, terming it “dictatorial”.

Calling itself the ‘Save BJP Movement’, the group of more than a thousand disgruntled party workers gathered at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru. “People are made office-bearers in the party if they say Yeddyurappa zindabad! No wonder, such people will become ministers if the party wins,” said Eshwarappa in his address.

The second appointment which ruffled many feathers in the state BJP was that of N Ravi Kumar, who has never really got along well with National Joint General Secretary Organisation in-charge of southern states BL Santhosh.

Interestingly, the convention sported BJP flags, 'lotus' logos at every corner and even photos of ideologues Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee -- with Eshwarappa claaiming that they were the "original BJP” -- scenes eerily reminiscent of the tussle for J Jayalalithaa’s 'true' legacy in neighboring Tamil Nadu.

Yeddyurappa's loyalists, who held a press conference at the BJP office soon after the convention, spoke out against this as more evidence of 'indiscipline.'

They also said no elected MP or MLA was actually with Eshwarappa in this effort, and dubbed the brigade as a forum of all those who are of no use and have lost their deposits in the previous elections.

“We are here to save the party democracy. One person can’t say I want everything. BJP’s culture is democracy. Everyone should be consulted,” said Bhanuprakash, a member of legislative council. “We don’t have a problem with Yeddyurappa’s leadership. But the office-bearers he has appointed are the ones creating troubles,” added.