K’taka BJP issues notices to 11 party men for ‘anti-party activity’ and ‘causing embarrassment’

PTI, Jun 30, 2023, 5:34 PM IST

The Karnataka BJP has served notices to eleven party men so far for allegedly indulging in ”anti-party activity” during the Assembly election, and also to those causing embarrassment by making public statements against it and its leaders.

The party has decided to inquire into the anti-party activities and take disciplinary action against those involved.

The decision was taken at a meeting of BJP leaders attended by state party president Nalin Kumar Kateel and former chief minister and parliamentary board member B S Yediyurappa among others on Friday.

”It has been decided to inquire into those who have indulged in anti-party activities during the election, and take disciplinary action. We have personally spoken to those who are making statements that have caused embarrassment to the party. Notices have been issued, and they have been clearly told not to make such statements in the future,” Kateel told reporters after the meeting.

Asked details about who has been given notice, Kateel, without revealing names, said, ”We have given notice to 11 people so far.” Yediyurappa said that the party men have been instructed that none of them should make statements that will cause embarrassment to the BJP.

”We have called those who have made such statements and spoken to them. They have been told to be cautious and ensure that such a situation doesn’t arise, else appropriate action will be taken. A decision has been taken in this regard,” he said.

Karnataka BJP on Thursday issued notice to former Honnali MLA M P Renukacharya for his ”anti-party” remarks. He has been given one week’s time to give a written reply to the show cause notice issued by the state disciplinary committee of the party. The party had officially released the notice served to Renukacharya, but not others.

Renukacharya on Thursday said the party’s state president Kateel should have resigned from the post, taking moral responsibility for the Assembly poll debacle.

Targeting party leaders without taking any names, the former minister alleged that the BJP office has been turned into a ”corporate office”, and urged them to introspect and work towards strengthening the party and boosting the morale of the workers for the Lok Sabha elections and the zilla and taluk panchayat polls, among others.

Several BJP leaders have recently come out in the open criticising their own colleagues, following the Assembly polls debacle, with statements that ”adjustment politics” (with a section of the Congress leaders) contributed to the party’s rout in the Assembly elections, sparking off a political debate.

Mysuru MP Pratap Simha and BJP national secretary C T Ravi were among those who had alleged “adjustment politics”. Though they had not named anyone, it was largely seen as comments directed at former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor B S Yediyurappa. Speaking to reporters after the meeting today, Yediyurappa said it has been decided that he along with other leaders will lead the protests on July 4 both inside and outside the Legislature, demanding that the Congress government in the state implement poll guarantees in full, as promised. ”Congress had gone door to door and had given guarantee cards signed by Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar (Deputy CM and state Congress chief). We have discussed demanding full implementation of those guarantees without fail. On July 4 in front of Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha, hundreds of our party workers will stage a day-long protest Satyagraha,” he said.

Inside the Legislative Assembly and Council, BJP legislators will stage protests on the same issue, Yediyurappa said, adding, that the Congress government, as promised, should give 10 kg of free rice to the poor, Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduates, Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders, 200 units of free power without conditions to households, Rs 2,000 to women per month. It should also withdraw the power tariff hike, he added.

Kateel too urged the government to fulfill the promises made ahead of the polls.

He said, ”Along with 5 kg of rice provided by the BJP government at the Centre, the state government should give 10 kg as promised by the Congress. Congress is now saying that they will give only 5 kg and that too not rice, but will give money instead. We will fight demanding that the state government give 10 kg of rice in addition to 5 kg by the Centre.”