Supporters of Yediyurappa seek immediate expulsion of Yatnal

Bengaluru: Widening the rift between senior leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and the pro-Yediyurappa camp in the Karnataka BJP, more than 30 party leaders led by former ministers M P Renukacharya, Haratalu Halappa Katta Subramanya Naidu and BC Patil held a breakfast meeting with veteran leader B S Yediyurappa and his son B Y Vijayendra on Sunday demanding immediate expulsion of the Bijapur City legislator. They also demanded that Vijayendra should continue as the party's state president till the next Assembly election.

Patil appealed to Yatnal to "shun his ego" and join the party's Waqf agitation, which starts from December 2. It may be noted that Yatnal's camp has announced a parallel agitation on the same issue.

Yediyurappa's meeting with his supporters assumed significance as it was held immediately after Vijayendra's return from Delhi, where he met the party's central leaders to seek their intervention to silence Yatnal, who has been relentlessly criticising Yediyurappa and Vijayendra.

The father-son duo has directed their loyalists to stop their temple run as well as the proposed state-wide tour to meet party workers for the next 10 days.

After the meeting with Yediyruappa and Vijayendra here, Renukacharya asserted that their team will meet in Davangere on December 10 to decide the future course of action if the party fails to act on errant leaders.

"We briefed them (Yediyurappa and Vijayendra) about our temple visits and press conferences to be held in Kolar, Mysuru and other places. For now, they have asked us to wait for 10 days and focus on party-building exercises in our constituencies. As per this, we, around 60 former legislators, will be meeting in Davangere on December 10 to chalk out a future course of action if the party fails to act on him (Yatnal)," the former minister explained.

Patil on his part appealed to Yatnal to shun his ego and take part in the party's programmes that will commence from December 2 to "expose" the ruling Congress in the state.

"Several party workers are demanding his (Yatnal) expulsion from the party. But still we are appealing to him to join the party's protests. If he does not listen to these appeals, then he will be forced to face its consequences."

Naidu asserted that their demand is simple; that Vijayendra must continue as state president till the next assembly elections. "We had gone to allay fears of party workers who were in confusion due to Yatnal's parallel protests. Unlike him, we did not indulge in any anti-party activities,” he said.