Karnataka BJP is a sunken ship, says Priyank Kharge

Priyank Kharge calls BJP "sunken ship" in Karnataka; lacks leadership; seniors differ on appointment of B.Y. Vijayendra as State unit president; Congress has onus of retaining trust of people; many workers of BJP & JD(S) to join Congress by LS election; BJP & JD(S) to become empty without workers; differences of opinion among BJP leaders; Yediyurappa stepped down as CM; failed to select floor leader for both Houses; BJP workers avail benefits of Cong. govt's guarantee schemes.

Calling the BJP a sunken ship in Karnataka, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Information Technology and Biotechnology Priyank Kharge said here on Wednesday, November 15, that the saffron party lacked leadership in the State.

Addressing a convention of panchayat raj representatives organised by the Congress at Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall in the city, the Minister said the seniors in the BJP differed on the appointment of B.Y. Vijayendra as the Karnataka unit president. “Show me a single leader in the BJP who can build the party from Bidar to Chamarajanagar,” the Minister asked.

Mr. Kharge said that the BJP might grow in Karnataka only if the Congress remains non-active. Hence, Congress workers should understand that the party had the onus of retaining the trust of people who have given a huge mandate to it in this year’s Assembly elections.

Later, Mr. Kharge told presspersons that many workers of the Janata Dal (Secular) and the BJP would join the Congress by the Lok Sabha election time next year as both the parties lacked leaders. “Both the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) will become empty without workers by the Lok Sabha election time,” Mr. Kharge said.

The Minister said that differences of opinion among State BJP leaders have come out with party seniors Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, C.T. Ravi, and V. Sunil Kumar remaining absent when Mr. Vijayendra took over as president of the State unit on Wednesday. Nobody knows why B.S. Yediyurappa was made to step down as Chief Minister. As there was no coordination among BJP leaders, the high command had chosen Mr. Vijayendra to head the State unit.

With about a fortnight remaining for the Belagavi legislature session, the BJP has failed to select its floor leader for both the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.

“When the Congress fielded me in the Assembly election, the BJP called it a dynasty rule. Now, when Mr. Vijayendra was made to head the State BJP, the same party calls hit as able leadership. What kind of a justice is this?,” Mr. Kharge asked.