Bengaluru: In a shot in the arm for state BJP president, B.S. Yeddyurappa, national organising secretary of the party, Ramlal,on Wednesday strictly warned rebel leaders not to raise their voice against the leadership.
Mr Ramlal’s warning came during the two-day state executive meeting in Belagavi when a few second rung leaders objected to their seniority being ignored in the appointment of state and district office bearers.
Responding, Mr. Ramlal told them in no uncertain terms that questioning the authority of the party president on a public platform was uncalled for and the party would not tolerate any kind of dissident activity.
While acknowledging that there were some anomalies in the appointment of the office bearers, he said this should not be discussed in the media and all differences must be resolved on a party platform.
Mr Ramlal’s tough stance on the rebels follows Mr Yeddyurappa’s complaint to the national leadership about senior leader, K S Eshwarappa launching the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade (SRB) ostensibly to draw backward castes’ support for the party. The Lingayat strongmen , who sees the SRB’s presence as a threat to his leadership, had argued that it would dent the image of the party and serve as a parallel power centre.
The issue could come up at the party’s core committee meeting in Bengaluru on Friday, according to sources. With Mr Eshwarappa going ahead with SRB conventions despite several warnings, Mr Yeddyurappa is likely to raise the matter in the presence of Mr Ramlal, they reveal.
The former CM is reportedly hoping to rein in party national joint secretary, Santhosh, who is allegedly backing a few of his loyalists in the state unit, who are miffed at being ignored in the party hierarchy.
Internal rivalry may affect BJP prospects in North karnataka
The worsening rivalry in the state BJP has become a cause of concern for many leaders in north-Karnataka who fear that the party's prospects could be badly hit in the next assembly election.
Three-time MLA and former minister Balachandra Jarkiholi, one of the powerful BJP leaders from north-Karnataka has alerted BJP national leaders to work out measures to avoid a possible loss. At his meeting with BJP's national organising secretary Ramlal in Belagavi, Jarkiholi said that only if top leaders iron out differences would the BJP be able to form the next government in the state.
Some party leaders were unwilling to end their differences for their personal gain. Party workers were in confusion over some caste-based programmes being held in the state which may prevent the BJP from reaching its target of 125 seats in the next election, he stated.
The JD(S) is already working out strategies to stop BJP from coming to power, he said and recalled how JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy was toiling to make north-Karnataka his base.
