No dispute with Basavaraj Bommai's leadership for Karnataka Assembly polls: K S Eshwarappa

Rural Development Minister K S Eshwarappa on Monday said he has no dispute with Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statement that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will lead the BJP in state in the next Assembly elections.

Eshwarappa, who was here to meet Union Ministers, told reporters that though he had earlier said the party would face the next Assembly elections with collective leadership, he would accept what Shah had said.

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“Since the BJP has failed to reach a majority mark in the past Assembly polls in Karnataka, I have suggested that the party should go to the next Assembly polls in the collective leadership. The collective leadership means, Bommai, Former Chief Ministers B S Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and state president Nalin Kumar Kateel jointly make strategy instead of any particular person. This was the popular opinion among party workers,” the Minister said.

“Since Amit Shah openly said that Bommai will lead the party in the next Assembly elections, I have no issue. I will abide by the party's central leadership decision,” he said.

Shah's recent statement has surprised many state leaders, and even Yediyurappa and Shettar huddled to discuss its implications. The state will face the next Assembly elections in early 2023.

Eshwarappa also said city corporations elections have proved that Bommai's and Kateel's leadership have been accepted by the people of the state. The credit of party candidates winning in corporation elections goes to these two leaders, he said.