Karnataka: BJP rebels to visit Delhi to complain about appointments to district units, seek replacement of Vijayendra

The appointment of new presidents to 23 district units of the BJP has aggravated the rebellion in the party, with them on Friday announcing their decision to visit Delhi in two days to bring the issues to the notice of central leaders and also demand ouster of party State president B.Y. Vijayendra.

The appointment of new presidents to 23 district units of the BJP has aggravated the rebellion in the party, with them on Friday announcing their decision to visit Delhi in two days to bring the issues to the notice of central leaders and also demand ouster of party State president B.Y. Vijayendra.

B.P. Harish, BJP MLA, who has identified himself with rebels, told media persons in Bengaluru on Friday that the process of selection of new presidents lacked transparency and Mr. Vijayendra had “conspired” to push for the selection of his followers as district presidents. He had done it to protect his position as the district presidents would be voters when the elections are held to choose the next State president, he alleged.

Mr. Harish said that all those opposing the leadership of Mr. Vijayendra would visit Delhi in two days and bring the issue to the notice of the party central leaders. “We will also make it clear to the central leaders that Mr. Vijayendra does not have the capacity to lead the party State unit and that there is no question of we accepting him as our leader,” he said.

He claimed that even the MPs and legislators were caught off guard over the appointment of presidents to 23 district units and there was a widespread resentment over the manner in which the selection process had been taken up.

Meanwhile, addressing a separate press conference, rebel leader and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal claimed: “Even the neutral group of leaders in the party [not identified with either Mr. Vijayendra or his detractors] are supporting us though they are not openly saying it. In fact, now our group is the biggest in the party and it has enough strength to ensure that the party wins 140 Assembly seats of the total 224 in the next elections even without support from the family of leader B.S. Yediyurappa.”

Mr. Yatnal said the rebel group would hold a meeting in Delhi and arrive at a consensus on choosing a suitable candidate to take on Mr. Vijayendra if elections were to be held to choose the new State president.

It may be noted that soon after the announcement of new presidents for district units of the party, Chickballapur MP K. Sudhakar had raised a banner of revolt against Mr. Vijayendra while accusing him of helping his follower to get elected as Chickballapur district president. He too had announced his plan to complain to the party central leadership. Referring to this, Mr. Yatnal said Mr. Sudhakar was supporting his group.