JOIN USThe Vokkaligara Sangha on Monday decided to observe the day Jagadish Shettar takes oath as the chief minister as a black day, in protest against the BJP for removing D V Sadananada Gowda from the chief minister’s post.
“The BJP has been treating Vokkaligas badly. Though Gowda was performing well, he was removed unceremoniously. The BJP high command should withdraw its decision and allow Gowda to continue in the post,” Nanjavadhoota Swami of Pattanayakanahalli said.
To mount pressure on the party, he said, Balagangadharanatha Swami has convened a meeting of BJP Vokkaliga MLAs on Tuesday at Adichunchanagiri Mutt to finalise the strategy.
“Those who do not attend the meeting will be declared non-Vokkaligas and they will have to face the ire of the community in future,” he warned.
Though Vokkaligara Sangha had invited the community MLAs of the BJP to the meeting on Monday, only three – Muniraju, Ashwathnarayana and Shankarlinge Gowda – turned up.
“Gowda has been removed despite providing clean and effective administration.
The BJP high command has yielded to the blackmail tactics of a section of leaders. This is an insult to Vokkaligas and we will not tolerate it. We are ready to quit as MLAs if the Sangha asks us to do so,” Ashwathnarayana said.
The meeting also discussed about calling for a Bangalore bundh on Wednesday, when Shettar is likely to take oath. However, a final decision was not taken in this regard.
Ashoka criticised
Home Minister R Ashoka, who is seen as a Vokkaliga face of the BJP, was criticised for not backing Sadananada Gowda during the recent crisis. Ashoka has been nurturing the ambition of becoming deputy chief minister for long.
He has been under the impression that the party would make him deputy chief minister if Gowda is removed. Hence, he indirectly supported those who wanted Gowda to be removed.
He has ditched the entire community for his own interest, participants at the meeting alleged.