Bengaluru: Fresh news from Karnataka on its run-up to Assembly elections suggests that serious conflict is going on within BJP in the state. On Thursday, the public witnessed Karnataka BJP leader and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa getting gheraoed by his own party workers during election campaigns in Chikkamagagluru district, NDTV reported.
The workers were apparently supporters of party national general secretary CT Ravi.
Ravi had dismissed Yediyurappa’s declaration that his son BY Vijayendra is going to contest in Shimoga district’s Shikaripura, which is the Yediyurappa family’s stronghold. The Thursday showdown must have arisen from this.
NDTV reports that dramatic scenes unfolded in the Mudigere district after Yediyurappa’s arrival on Thursday afternoon. He was there to lead the party’s Vijay Sankalpa Yatra. However, supporters of CT Ravi in the party gheraoed his car and demanded that MLA MP Kumaraswamy must not be given another party ticket to contest in the constituency for another term.
A section of the party wanted Kumaraswamy removed from BJP, but Yediyurappa, removing him was a challenge to exercise his heft within the party.
After the chaotic scenes at the campaigning section, Yediyurappa was forced to cancel the rally. Visuals from the scene showed him leaving the rally without participating, and CT Ravi, who was present, was seen walking with his supporters in the other direction.
There are infights in BJP in other constituencies in the state too. In Kortagere, ticket aspirants fought ahead of the visit of CM Basavaraj Bommai. There were videos from the spot featuring aspirants Lakshmikant and Anil Kumar engaging in a public spat, which was out of an argument on placing flex and banners in the area.
BJP is standing against giving Yediyurappa’s son a ticket to ward off the allegations of dynastic politics. Also, the previous Yediyurappa government was reeling under corruption charges, and Congress hit it hard with its mock campaign PayCM, highlighting the allegations of his government extracting 40 per cent commission from builders, contractors etc.