Karnataka BJP's dissident camp hopeful of being invited for talks with Amit Shah soon

By Noorul Hassan Hombal

Bengaluru: The Basangouda Patil Yatnal-led dissident camp in the Karnataka BJP is hopeful of meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi sometime this week.

Speculation about the BJP top brass likely to meet with the dissidents has been rife after rebel leader Aravind Limbavali met Shah during his recent visit to Karnataka, and submitted a petition demanding the ouster of the president of the saffron party’s state unit B Y Vijayendra.

“We are expecting a call from New Delhi by Tuesday or Wednesday. We are hoping that they will finalise a date for a meeting with the party’s central leadership,” a senior leader with the rebel camp confirmed to DH.

The senior leader said that the four-page petition submitted to Shah drew attention to Vijayendra’s close ties with Congress leaders.

“We have pointed out that Vijayendra is not taking a keen interest in countering the ruling party in the Assembly, and only Yatnal, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka are taking on the Congress,” the leader added.

Dissident leader Ramesh Jarkiholi, meanwhile, met Maharashtra Chief
Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was in Bengaluru on Sunday to attend BJP MP Tejasvi Surya’s wedding reception.