Bengaluru: It’s no longer "BJP Bachao", but the deliberations of a meeting with a new banner, "Save Organisation" or 'Samsthe Ulisi' here on Thursday as well as the contents of a booklet, likely to damn state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa for riding roughshod from the day he took charge, will mirror the widening rift between the Lingayat strongman and his detractors, much to the chagrin of party leaders in New Delhi as they prepare for next year’s assembly elections.
On the eve of the Palace Grounds meet, where the rebels are set to make public their complaints against Mr Yeddyurappa, the two factions crossed swords with at least two leaders warning party workers and office bearers to keep away or face disciplinary action. Organizers dug their heels in and countered that they would demonstrate their will to save the organization from the clutches of a leader, alluding to the former chief minister.
State general secretary N Ravikumar and OBC Morcha president B J Puttaswamy warned that groupism and anti-party activities would not be tolerated. "The party will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against Mr K S Eshwarappa," said Mr Puttaswamy, warning against participating in the event.
Red flag was KJP appointees
Some 80-100 workers from each district said they would attend the meeting as they are upset with Mr Yeddyurappa for not convening a meeting almost three months after party president Amit Shah asked the state unit president to sort out appointments, especially as most posts were being held by those belonging to erstwhile KJP, an entity launched by Mr Yeddyurappa after he was forced to step down as CM in the light of a report on illegal mining by Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde.
"We have no problems with Mr Yeddyurappa as an individual, but we are not happy with his decisions," said an MLC, irked at being branded a dissident.
