B S Yeddyurappa supporters are lobbying hard for him to be BJP state chief
B S Yeddyurappa. (Photo: DC/file)
Bengaluru: Supporters of former CM and Shimoga MP B.S. Yeddyurappa, who are unhappy that he has been sidelined with no berth in the Union cabinet, are lobbying hard with the BJP leadership to make him the party state president. Leading the charge for Mr Yeddyurappa, who is embroiled in land scam cases, is his close aide and Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Shobha Karandlaje.
She and other Yeddyurappa supporters have placed a win-win deal before the BJP top brass: Appoint him state president and make incumbent chief and Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi party national general secretary.
With former BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar a minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet, many leaders in Karnataka are eying the prestigious general secretary’s post including Mr Joshi who too missed out in the race for a cabinet berth.
Mr Joshi has one-and-half years of his tenure as party president left and so, some leaders in the state do not want the status quo to be changedwith no major elections due in the state.
Former minister Aravind Limbavali is also in the race for party general secretary and has railway minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda backing his candidature.
He has his share of opposition too. To block Limbavali’s candidature, some leaders in the state unit have proposed C.T. Ravi and Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri for general secretary, said sources.
There is no compulsion on the central leadership to consider candidates from Karnataka for the general secretary’s post. Sources said a candidate from a state where the party is weak, could be considered.
( Source : dc )
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