Bengaluru: All does not seem to be well in the BJP's Shivamogga district unit over giving the Assembly poll ticket to Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council K.S. Eshwarappa with a section of local leaders opposing it on the ground that he cannot win the poll in his home district.
One BJP leaders had openly stated that the party, which has set a target of 150 seats (out of the total 224) would not win even 50 if senior leaders like Mr Eshwarappa were denied tickets. Already, a number of committed leaders like sitting MLC Somanna Bevinmarad and former minister Sogadu Shivanna have distanced themselves from the party after Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa became president of the Karnataka BJP unit.
Trouble broke out after a section of leaders in Shivamogga headed by the defeated BJP candidate in 2013, N Rudra Gowda and Bilaki Krishnamurthy attended a meeting convened by Mr Yeddyurappa at his residence on Wednesday and openly batted for Mr Rudra Gowda in place of Mr Eshwarappa from Shivamogga City Assembly seat. This angered Mr Eshwarappa's followers who barged into the place when the former was addressing a news conference and raised slogans against Mr Rudra Gowda. They also suspected Mr Yeddyurappa's hand behind the denial of ticket to Mr Eshwarappa as the duo share a strained relationship. Their friendship soured when Mr Eshwarappa got involved in the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade's activities much against the will of Mr Yeddyurappa. Subsequently, both of them were summoned to Delhi and given a dressing down with the top brass. Mr Eshwarappa was strictly told not to participate in any activities of the Sangolli Rayanna brigade.
Sources close to Mr Eshwarappa told Deccan Chronicle that the tussle had affected the party to a great extent especially in Shivamogga district. While Mr Yeddyurappa wants to give the ticket to Mr Rudra Gowda who lost the 2013 Assembly polls by a narrow margin, Mr Eshwarappa wants to seek re-election from Shivamogga City. Mr Yeddyurappa still favours those belonging to the erstwhile KJP which has hurt the original BJP leaders who have been feeling alienated after Mr Yeddyurappa took over the mantle. Even the party high command had failed to douse the simmering differences in Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Davangere and Mysuru districts.
Mr Eshwarappa became emotional while talking to reporters, and said he did not know why party workers from his home district were against giving the ticket to him. "I will abide by whatever my party leaders say", he quipped.
