BS Yeddyurappa beware, KS Eshwarappa loyalists feel he's perfect for CM!

Deepening fissures in the state BJP, pamphlets declaring veteran BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa as the next CM of Karnataka were recently distributed in the Lingayat stronghold of Arsikere, Hassan, where party president, B.S. Yeddyurappa is said to have considerable sway over the voters.

Carrying the names of the Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Brigade and K.S. Eshwarappa Abhimanigala Balaga, Arasikere unit, the pamphlets were distributed in Arsikere town, Banavara, Kanakkate and others areas of the taluk on the night of December 31, creating ripples in the Arasikere unit of the party.

The pamphlets also carried pictures of vice-president of Hassan BJP, GVT Basavaraju, industrialist Akash Hiriyappa and BJP Yuva Morcha Arasikere town president, Ramesh Naidu. The talk in Arasikere is that Mr Eshwarappa is trying to send across a strong message to Mr Yeddyurappa that he too holds sway over voters of his community in the constituency.

The Arasikere assembly segment has about 75,000 Lingayat and 25,000 Kuruba voters. While Mr Yeddyurappa is a Lingayat and Mr Eshwarappa, a Kuruba, the constituency is currently represented by JD(S) legislator, Shivalinge Gowda, a Vokkaliga.

Denying any involvement, Mr Basavaraju claimed someone was out to tarnish his image. He said he had filed a police complaint against those circulating the pamphlets.