Though the BJP national leadership indicated there would be no change of guard in Karna-taka, the state’s chief minister, Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa, has been asked to come to New Delhi to meet the party high command. The BJP bosses have also summoned some leaders from the dissident camp.
The party leadership on Thursday claimed that factionalism within its Karnataka unit is the prime reason for the ongoing crisis in the state. Sources disclosed that BJP chief Nitin Gadkari is expected to visit the state for detailed discussions with the party’s state unit after the top leadership meets the Karnataka unit leaders, including the CM.
The BJP core group, which met at senior leader L.K. Advani’s residence to discuss the Karnataka crisis, felt that internal dissidence, more than the corruption issue, has marred the party’s image in Karnataka. The party leadership, sources said, was also of the view that the Karnataka crisis has come at a time when the party is spearheading a campaign against the Central government on a range of corruption-related issues.
Those who attended the meeting included Mr Gadkari, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her counterpart in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, former party chief Rajnath Singh and senior leaders M. Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar. Mr Yeddyurappa’s supporters blame Mr Kumar for destabilising the government in the state every now and then.
Some of the senior leaders were of the view during the core group meeting that Mr Yeddyurappa had sent the right message by ordering a judicial inquiry into the alleged land scam. The Opposition in Karnataka has been gunning for Mr Yeddyurappa for his alleged involvement in the land scams.
Though there were reports that some dissident MLAs have demanded a change of leadership, sources disclosed that the party top brass feels such a move will only provide further ammunition to the Opposition.
After the meeting, Mr Jaitley said it was decided that the CM and other important leaders would be called in the coming one or two days to discuss the subject with the central leadership.