BENGALURU: The appointments of BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa’s younger son BY Vijayendra as Karnataka president of the saffron party and his loyalist MR Ashoka as the leader of the opposition (LOP) in the assembly have triggered pronounced discontent among functionaries.
Some veterans have already voiced their displeasure over the preference shown to 47-year-old first-time MLA Vijayendra and 66-year-old seven-time MLA Ashoka.The granting of key positions to the two members of the Yediyurappa camp has reportedly unsettled several functionaries in the other group — comprising former BJP national general secretary CT Ravi, former Union minister Basangouda Patil Yatnal and former Karnataka minister V Somanna — and also those affiliated with party’s national general secretary BL Santhosh.
Ravi, Yatnal and Somanna were frontrunners to replace Nalin Kumar Kateel as state party chief. The LOP position was until now lying vacant. Yediyurappa, however, reportedly made moves to ensure his son’s and Ashoka’s installation in the top posts at the last minute.
While Yatnal, Ramesh Jarkiholi, ST Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar have openly revolted against the party’s decision by boycotting the legislature party meeting held on Friday in the presence of top functionaries from Delhi, some young politicians, including Ravi, Aravind Bellad, CN Ashwath Narayan and V Sunil Kumar, are disheartened but seem to have decided to not express their displeasure in public.The unfolding situation indicates a discord within the state unit as a section, which is sulking over the perceived prioritisation of Yediyurappa’s son and his loyalists, has decided to wait till the announcement of Lok Sabha polls to decide about their future course of action. There is alsoa concern among the party brass that this might affect the BJP’s performance in the upcoming elections.
Some veterans have already voiced their displeasure over the preference shown to 47-year-old first-time MLA Vijayendra and 66-year-old seven-time MLA Ashoka.The granting of key positions to the two members of the Yediyurappa camp has reportedly unsettled several functionaries in the other group — comprising former BJP national general secretary CT Ravi, former Union minister Basangouda Patil Yatnal and former Karnataka minister V Somanna — and also those affiliated with party’s national general secretary BL Santhosh.
Ravi, Yatnal and Somanna were frontrunners to replace Nalin Kumar Kateel as state party chief. The LOP position was until now lying vacant. Yediyurappa, however, reportedly made moves to ensure his son’s and Ashoka’s installation in the top posts at the last minute.
While Yatnal, Ramesh Jarkiholi, ST Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar have openly revolted against the party’s decision by boycotting the legislature party meeting held on Friday in the presence of top functionaries from Delhi, some young politicians, including Ravi, Aravind Bellad, CN Ashwath Narayan and V Sunil Kumar, are disheartened but seem to have decided to not express their displeasure in public.The unfolding situation indicates a discord within the state unit as a section, which is sulking over the perceived prioritisation of Yediyurappa’s son and his loyalists, has decided to wait till the announcement of Lok Sabha polls to decide about their future course of action. There is alsoa concern among the party brass that this might affect the BJP’s performance in the upcoming elections.
BY Vijayendra Yediyurappa’s son, ascends to Karnataka BJP leadership – shares inaugural response