Public spat of senior leaders overshadows Karnataka BJP executive meet

A sense of uneasiness engulfed the BJP leaders at the two-day state executive meeting of the Karnataka party unit here, in the backdrop of the public spat between senior party leaders Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa.

Though both leaders shared the stage on the inaugural day of the meeting today, they remained far away from each other. Yeddyurappa refused to acknowledge Eshwarappa as the latter greeted him on stage. Eshwarappa attended the executive despite reports that he would give the event a miss.

Union ministers Ananth Kumar, Sadananda Gowda, Ramesh Jigajinagi, party’s state in-charge Muralidhar Rao and D Purandeshwari were present at the meeting, where they spoke about installing a BJP government in Karnataka, by winning more than 150 seats. The leaders also emphasised on the need to work together in achieving this goal.

Eshwarappa is fighting against B S Yeddyuappa’s style of functioning as state unit chief. Resentment has been brewing within the party following the appointment of party office-bearers by Yeddyurappa and “ignoring” loyal workers and the old guard of the party. It had intensified into a factional feud on April 27, when Eshwarappa held a convention to “save” the organisation in defiance of Yeddyurappa.

In an attempt to quell the rebellion, the high …read more