JOIN USBJP under pressure to replace Kateel after workers' backlash
Pressure is mounting on the BJP to rejig its state team, currently led by Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel.
The names of Shobha Karandlaje (Vokkaliga, woman), V Sunil Kumar (Idiga) and C N Ashwath Narayan (Vokkaliga, urban) are doing the rounds.
A black condolence banner with the photographs of former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda and BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel sprang up near the KSRTC bus stand in Puttur on Monday leaving BJP leaders red-faced.
Sensing growing discontent against Kateel by the party workers, Union Minister Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday told reporters that Kateel’s term of three years is over and the party central leaders had given him an extension in the wake of the assembly election. “Our party leaders will take further decisions,” he said here.
A senior leader told DH that the party is contemplating making necessary changes in the state to gear up for the Lok Sabha polls next year. “As of now, the party’s leaders, like Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Union Minister Shobha Karanadlaje and Karkala MLA V Sunilkumar are frontrunners. Though no names are finalised yet, these names are doing rounds,” he said.
The source added that the possible replacement is likely in the next one or two months as the party is yet to finalise its leader of the opposition. Though caretaker CM Basavaraj Bommai is the frontrunner, it is not clear how the central leaders want to reshape the party organisation.
Joshi said that a meeting of the BJP legislature party will be soon convened and decide on who would be the leader of the opposition in the assembly after a discussion in the presence of a representative from the party’s central leadership.
The source added that many in the state are favouring Shobha Karandalje to lead the party. She is a Vokkaliga and would help the party in breaching into Vokkaliga heartland. “Already our vote share is up in this region and if we bring Karandlaje, she would certainly be helpful to reach out to women across the caste lines in the state as well as in Vokkaliga heartland too, while Sunil Kumar who is known for his fiery speeches, can attract youths in the state,” the source said.
He said that Ashwath Narayan, who is more experienced compared to Kumar, is also in contention for the top post as his urban image would help the party attract urban voters in the state too.