Bengaluru: Ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls, the signs of a tussle for power are slowly emerging in the state BJP soon after the party central leadership instructed BJP national joint secretary (organization) Santhosh to oversee organizational matters.
Mr Santhosh and state BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa were involved in a running feud a few months ago with the former CM suspecting that the RSS leader was behind the revolt of senior leader K.S. Eshwarappa against them. This forced the central leadership to intervene and force Eshwarappa to drop his plans to keep the newly formed Sangolli Rayanna Brigade afloat.
The re-entry of Mr Santhosh, who is essentially an organisational wizard, has enthused party workers who have responded positively to the bigger role he may play in the months leading to the polls. Sources said he has been asked to take care of organizational matters including holding rallies and protests against the Congress government.
“As of now, we do not see differences emerging in the party but gradually, party workers will support Mr Santhosh, once he galvanizes them through baithaks and frequent interactions,” sources said.
Sources disclosed that after the BJP core committee meeting in New Delhi on August 25 convened by national president Amit Shah, the party has officially deputed Mr Santhosh to take control of organizational matters in Karnataka.
In fact top RSS leaders had called both Yeddyurappa and Santhosh to Keshava Krupa, the RSS headquarters in Bengaluru and had instructed them to co-ordinate with each other. The state leadership has also been strictly instructed not to take any major decision related to the coming election without bringing it to the notice of the RSS. Sources said RSS leaders have warned Yeddyurappa not to promise tickets to leaders recently inducted into the party indicating that his wings were being clipped.
Santhosh had coordinated the recent Mangaluru Chalo bike rally, demanding the resignation of Dakshina Kannada incharge minister Ramanath Rai, he has also been asked to co-ordinate the Nava-Karnataka rally in November.
It will be interesting to see how Yeddyurappa, who has always been wary of any threat to his dominance in the state unit, will respond to the pivotal role Santosh has been assigned by the leadership.
There are Yeddyurappa loyalists especially from his erstwhile KJP- who fear they may soon lose their positions and clout in the party. Yeddyurappa had given prominent positions to these leaders, soon after he become BJP president.
