BENGALURU: With BJP national general secretary (Organisation), B.L. Santhosh, playing the big brother in matters concerning the state unit of the party, his confidant and state unit president, Nalin Kumar Kateel, appointed two leaders belonging to the camp opposed to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, to key posts, on Friday.
Sources in the state unit said Mr Banu Prakash and Nirmal Kumar Surana, who were jettisoned by Mr Yediyurappa when he headed the state unit, were appointed vice president by Mr Kateel. Both these leaders had worked with Mr. Santhosh when he was BJP secretary (organization).
One of them, Mr Bhanu Prakash, had turned a rebel and backed activities of Sangolli Rayanna Brigade launched by senior leader and minister K S Eshwarappa ahead of last year's Assembly polls.
Sources pointed out that Mr Kateel has taken many decisions at the behest of Mr Santhosh without consulting the Chief Minister. The upshot: a majority of office bearers of the state unit, district and taluk units who worked Mr Santhosh have returned much to the chagrin of Mr Yediyurappa. A majority of them belonged to the RSS and served the organization at various levels.
Upset about changes in the state unit, Mr Yediyurappa has maintained a distance from party activities, sources added.
