Quit BJP to attend KJP rally, Eshwarappa warns party leaders

Deputy Chief Minister and State BJP president K S Eshwarappa on Thursday said that party leaders keen on attending the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) rally in Haveri on December 9 may quit the BJP.

Replying to queries from reporters, Eshwarappa said if ministers, MLAs and party leaders attend the event planned by former chief minister B S  Yeddyurappa’s new party, it would mean that they are not with the BJP.

On the issue of initiating disciplinary action against such leaders, he said, “You will come to know of it in the near future.”

Eshwarappa, however, said there was no question of the government postponing the legislature session scheduled to be held in Belgaum from December 5 to 15.

He said senior BJP leaders have made an honest attempt to retain Yeddyurappa in the party. “Now, it is up to him to take a final call on quitting the party.”

On Yeddyurappa’s statement that the BJP leaders were making attempts to retain him in the party only to mislead people, Eshwarappa said, “Yeddyurappa’s close aides Basavaraj Bommai, Umesh Katti, C M Udasi, Murugesh Nirani and V Somanna had urged the Central leaders to persuade the former chief minister not to quit the party.

Does it mean that even his close aides are misleading people?”

Eshwarappa said he had no powers to initiate disciplinary action against Tumkur Lok Sabha member G S Basavaraj for his “anti-party” statements, as he was an MP. He said he would bring the matter to the notice of the Central leaders. He also refused to react to certain statements made by Yeddyurappa.

Assembly tickets

He said the party had decided to give tickets to the sitting MLAs in the coming Assembly elections and there was no confusion in this regard.

BJP general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan will visit Bangalore on November 17 and hold separate meetings with party leaders, MLAs, ministers and MPs.

Land Revenue Bill

Eshwarappa, who holds the Revenue portfolio, said the government had decided to introduce the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill in the Assembly during the ensuing session.

Governor H R Bhardwaj had rejected the Bill stating that the policy of regularisation of encroached government lands directly encouraged illegal occupation of government property.

Hence, the government has included guidelines applying  to Ashraya sites in the Bill.