Kalaburagi/Shivamogga: The ongoing tussle between BJP state unit chief, B S Yeddyurappa and senior party leader, K S Eshwarappa is likely to cast a long shadow over the two- day state executive committee meeting of the saffron party that begins here on Saturday.
Although the party has listed issues such as the drought in the state, security of women in Bengaluru and so on for discussion at the meeting, the feud between the two men, which is getting murkier by the day, could hog the limelight, believe party insiders.
Interestingly, Mr Eshwarappa, who is arriving here Friday night to take part in the executive committee meeting, is scheduled to inaugurate a convention of his controversial Sangolli Rayanna Brigade at Afzalpur on January 22.
The fact that the brigade’s convention is being held at a time when the party’s executive committee is meeting is being seen by some as a deliberate attempt to challenge Mr Yeddyurappa’s leadership.
The rivalry between the two bigwigs has virtually split its rank and file as is evident from the banners and posters dotting the city to welcome the delegates to the executive committee meeting. While they have pictures of PM Modi, Mr Yeddyurappa and other leaders, Mr Eshwarappa is not featured in any. Meanwhile, admitting there was “confusion” in the party over the launching of the brigade, Mr Yeddyurappa hinted at the possibility of taking action against those identifying with it on Friday.
CM: Cong won’t bank on BJP rift
Maintaining that the Congress would not take advantage of the rift in BJP, CM Siddaramaiah on Friday said it would fight the coming elections based on the development work done by his government.
Speaking to reporters at the launch of development projects here, he claimed the government had fulfilled 125 of the 165 promises made in the party manifesto prior to the 2013 assembly elections that brought it to power in the state and the remaining would be covered within a year.
Dismissing allegations of BJP leader Jagadish Shettar against Justice Vishwanath Shetty, whose name had been recommended to the Governor for the post of Lokayukta, as baseless, he noted that most judges had got sites in the Judges’ Layout and there was nothing irregular about this.
