Sending a tough message to former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa for his recent outbursts against party leadership, the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit lashed out at two of his closest aides, sacking Ayanur Manjunath and V. Dhananjay Kumar from the key posts of spokespersons of the party and the government on Saturday. Mr Dhananjay Kumar, holding cabinet rank was removed from the post of Special Representative of the government in Delhi. Considered close to the former chief minister, Mr. Kumar had held the post for the past four years.
The party also removed Rajya Sabha MP Ayanur Manjunath from the post of party spokesperson, a direct fall-out of his recent remarks against the deputy Chief Minister R. Ashok where he had lambasted Mr Ashok's 'poor' handling of the KSRTC employees' strike and his demand that the minister resign as he had acted at the behest of former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy.
Party in-charge of Karnataka, Dharmendra Pradhan, appalled at a party spokesperson not defending the party and every action of the government, but embarrassing the party had directed the state unit to remove Mr. Manjunath from the post, sources said. Mr Manjunath's failure to hold regular briefings, especially with elections approaching was the other reason he was removed, they added. "No reasons need to be given. Since the party President has appointed him as spokesperson, he has every right to remove him at any point of time without stating any reason," sources said.
Regarding the decision to ease out Mr Dhananjay Kumar, it was a decision taken by the Chief Minister and not the party, sources said, adding that Mr Dhananjay Kumar had also not represented the party's views as vociferously as was needed, as he was a fixture in Bengaluru rather than Delhi. An irate aide to the former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa reacting to the shock sackings said: "Mr. Eshwarappa has not been able to take action against rebel MLAs of Bellary districts and Reddy brothers, who have openly challenged the party leadership for one year. But they have no qualms about sacking two key faces of the BJP", said a close aid of BSY.