Deeply troubled veterans, growing discontent, and threats to contest the Karnataka polls on May 10 have forced the independent BJP to seek the help of BS Yeddyurappa, its troubleshooter in the state unit.
A staunch supporter of BSY said, “Like the Mahabharata where Vidura has been the guide and counselor to both the Pandavas and the Kauravas, Yeddyurappa has been asked to try and prevent a rebellion in the party.” News18.
With the names of six BJP MLAs missing from the second list released on Wednesday, Yediyurappa’s role will be all the more relevant to quell a possible rebellion in the party.
It is learned that BJP National President JP Nadda in a telephonic conversation with BSY sought his intervention to quell a possible rebellion in the Karnataka BJP.
Yediyurappa was asked to hold one-on-one meetings with all the dissident leaders who were denied tickets and threatened to stand as independents or resign from the party membership.
According to sources, Nadda insisted that the current crisis can only be resolved by BSY, who has good relations with troubled leaders. BSY is said to have assured the leadership that he would devote all his attention and energy to solving the snowballing problem.
Over 1,200 BJP workers from various local units of the BJP in Bengaluru en masse resigned from the primary membership of the party in protest against the denial of ticket to Bengaluru South district president NR Ramesh.
The BJP’s central leadership came in contact with BSY after five senior leaders – former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, former Deputy Chief Ministers KS Eshwarappa and Laxman Savadi, former Fisheries and Ports Minister S Angara and three-time MLA from Udupi Raghupati Bhat. Expressed his anger and extreme disappointment at the manner in which the party has denied him tickets for his constituencies.
Eshwarappa and Angara announced retirement from electoral politics, while an incensed Shettar and Savadi gave a clear signal to the party leadership that they would not hesitate to stand as independents.
He felt ‘humiliated’ by the way Shettar, Angara and Bhat broke the news to him.
“This is not the way to treat us,” said Raghupati Bhat, who was asked to introduce political novice Yashpal Suvarna as a new face in this election.
Bhat even said that he is not saddened by the party’s decision of not giving him a ticket, but the fact that he had to learn about it from the media.
“I was not even informed by the district president. I came to know that I have been denied ticket through news flash on TV. Is this how I should know the party’s decision? We have brought up that boy (Suvarna). Ami Shah calls Shettar and informs him. I don’t expect Shah to call me, but at least the district president should have done so,” Bhat told the media.
Shettar and Angara also shared a similar sentiment. He said that if he had been informed a few months earlier, it would have been more respectful and he would have considered stepping aside.
The biggest threat to the BJP is Jagadish Shettar, who has won the seat six times. The former Karnataka chief minister was called to Delhi on Wednesday to meet Nadda. After the meeting, Shettar said he was “hopeful” but the BJP has not yet decided on the name of the candidate for the Hubballi-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency, where he is the sitting MLA.
“I have spoken to the people of my constituency. They have urged me to contest, so I will definitely contest.” After the meeting, Shettar said he was promised a positive result.
Shettar’s constituency was not included in the first list of 189 candidates, but on 11 April, Shettar revealed at a media briefing that he had received a call from the party asking him not to contest the upcoming elections.
According to party sources, BSY had also recommended that Shettar be given the ticket as he is an influential Lingayat leader, who could become a problem in the Hubballi-Dharwad region and parts of northern Karnataka, where the community is dominant and It is largely a BJP bastion. ,
Yediyurappa told ANI that “99 per cent Jagadish Shettar will be given election ticket”.
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