Yeddyurappa, KSE spar over Rayanna Brigade

The BJP core-committee meeting witnessed a tussle between party state president B S Yeddyurappa and K S Eshwarappa over the latter’s move to associate himself with Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, an organisation of OBCs and Dalits.

While interacting with the media before the meeting, Yeddyurappa said that any initiative to consolidate support should be within the party forum. “There is no room for personal ventures,” he said.

Sources in the party said Yeddyurappa told Eshwarappa that if he wanted to consolidate the support of OBCs and Dalits, then he would have to do it within the party forum.

Yeddyurappa pointed out that there are OBC and SC/ST morchas in the party and it could be utilised effectively to mobilise the support of the communities. Eshwarappa is learnt to have told the meeting that he was not indulging in any anti-party activities, but, was strengthening the party base. OBC and Dalit leaders were turning towards the BJP after being disenchanted with the Congress.  However, the leaders, including a few seers, were not ready to be openly identified with the BJP at this point of time and he was only giving them a forum to express their views.

Convention in Haveri
Eshwarappa said he would continue to be identified with the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade. The brigade is planning to hold a mammoth convention in Haveri on September 26.

BJP General Secretary in charge of party affairs in Karnataka Muralidhar Rao is learnt to have said that there is nothing wrong with Eshwarappa’s efforts if it helped the party. The meeting ended on a bitter note with both the leaders not budging from their stands.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Aravind Limbavali, core committee member, said there would be changes in the office-bearers’ list. Eshwarappa would get the support of the party in his efforts if he takes up the initiative within the party forum, he added.