Disgruntled BJP leaders set March 15 deadline to address woes

Team Udayavani, Mar 7, 2017, 2:32 PM IST

Bengaluru: Disguntled over BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa’s “unilateral style of functioning,” some party leaders have set a March 15 deadline for the high command to look into their grievances. 

The leaders today also discussed their future course of action

“The party’s national president had formed a four-member committee to look into the issues and submit a report by February 10, but it has not happened so far… Tomorrow they were to convene a meeting and discuss it, but we heard it won’t take place,” Former Minister Sogadu Shivanna told reporters here after the meeting. 

“Our issues are pending for over a year now, the National President’s instructions have not been adhered to or been respected. Hence, we have decided to meet party workers across the state and take a call on our next step after March 15,” he said. 

“We have to save the party. We appeal to the party leaders to look into our problems by March 15,” he added. 

The discontent began to brew with Yeddyurappa appointing office-bearers and presidents of district units, which was termed as a “unilateral decision” by a few senior party leaders, including K S Eshwarappa, Leader of the Opposition in the state Legislative Council. 

In an apparent show of strength, Eshwarappa had floated Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, an apolitical forum to organise Dalits and backward classes, and held conventions in various parts of the state, despite Yeddyurappa’s opposition. 

Reacting to this, Yeddyurappa had issued notices to a few leaders who participated in the Brigade activities, and had also suspended a couple of them. 

In January last, BJP National President Amit Shah had summoned Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa to broker peace between them and constituted the committee to find solutions to the problems faced by the party. 

Attending the Brigade function on Saturday, Eshwarappa had also expressed displeasure over the the committee still not having met to the address the issues raised by few party leaders.