Bengaluru/Mangaluru: Is the state unit of BJP scouting for a young turk to lead the party in polls to the Legislative Assembly in 2018?
With Lingayat strongman and former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa dropping hints that he would like to return to state politics and take guard as state unit chief, a hush-hush effort has commenced from within the party to scupper his chances of occupying the top post, and to prop a young leader ahead of the crucial polls in 2018.
Sources in the party said senior leaders, including some from the RSS, who have put in a sincere effort to build the party over the last five years, do not want Mr Yeddyurappa to regain control by taking over the top position. These leaders have been making all efforts to thwart his return to state politics and therefore want a young leader at the helm. Besides, his return would once again trigger a power struggle within the state unit as well as lead to groupism, sources added.
Sources said the top brass of RSS also seem keen to allow a young leader to lead the charge as such a move would help the party to a large extent by establishing a rapport with youngsters ahead of the elections. Such views were expressed by RSS leaders at ‘bytaks’ held recently.
Given such a stand adopted by RSS leaders, the party has minimum option to select either a Vokkaliga or Lingayat leader for the top post. When it comes to Lingayat leader, obliviously Mr Yeddyurappa would be the automatic choice, but among Vokkaliga leaders are former deputy chief minister R. Ashoka and Union minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda. In order to stop Mr Sadananda Gowda in his tracks, senior leaders including former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, Union minister H N Ananth Kumar and state unit chief Pralhad Joshi would support Mr Ashoka’s candidature.
The cadre, however, does not seem keen to back Mr. Ashoka, and could support the candidature of former minister C.T.Ravi, leader of the youth brigade known for strengthening the party wherever it has weak base.
And to black Mr Ravi’s candidature, his opponents would definitely push the case of Ms Shobha Karandlaje, MP, a Vokkaliga face of the party backed by Mr. Yeddyurappa.
‘We won’t tolerate anti-nationals’
The RSS Sampark Pramukh T.S. Venkatesh has condemned the recent incident at JNU in Delhi where some students allegedly shouted anti-national slogans.
“We condemn anything which is anti-national by anybody. People have the liberty to speak against Prime Minister Narendra Modi or against the government, we are not bothered about it. But any move or talk against the country cannot be tolerated,” Mr Venkatesh told reporters during an interaction with the media at Mangaluru on Thursday. “People including those from the armed forces have raised their voice against this,” he said.
Mr Venkatesh refuted the allegations that ABVP, the student wing of Sangh Parivar, had suddenly grown powerful after the BJP-led NDA government came to power at the Centre. “How can they (ABVP) be powerful all of a sudden? I refute these charges. There is no big brother attitude by anyone. Neither by the RSS nor BJP,” he defended.
On the RSS being portrayed as an extremist force, he said they were mere charges. “They are not true. There are many reasons for such allegations being made against the Sangh Parivar. We are held responsible for problems created by others as there are political benefits for those who make such allegations. The RSS is not here to annihilate anybody but to organise people,” he said.
When asked if the minorities would be welcomed to RSS, he said that anybody who agrees with the Sangh principles of respecting and honouring the country, would be welcomed.
