Worried over continuing tussle between rival camps, ‘neutral’ group of BJP leaders wants central leadership to put the house in order

Internal strife in BJP Karnataka between rebels and loyalists impacts party organization, prompting neutral group to seek resolution from central leadership.

The prolonged squabble between the two rival camps in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — the rebels and those loyal to State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra — has caused concern among leaders in the “neutral” group in the party who are worried that the party organisation and cadre, particularly grassroot workers, are being adversely impacted.

Frustrated over the unabated fight between the two camps, several leaders from the neutral group are contemplating raising it with an appropriate party forum to draw the central leadership’s attention on the need for putting the house in order.

“While the two rival camps are engaged in attacks and counter-attacks, either directly or indirectly, the BJP is suffering as the principal Opposition party. In fact, if the BJP has not been able to take advantage of the situation in the Congress government — be it allegations of corruption, scams allegedly involving Ministers, maladministration, and power tussle within the ruling party — then the internal tussle in the party (BJP) has to be blamed,” observed a prominent BJP leader.

Even the campaign against eviction notices issued to farmers by the waqf board would have been more effective if the party was united, he contended, referring to the rebels as well as the party organisation embarking upon separate campaigns on the waqf row.

A former Minister and senior leader said, “What is really annoying is that only about 10% of the party leaders and workers are with each of these rival groups while the remaining cadre and leaders have remained neutral and committed to the party instead of individuals. But this majority group is crippled due to infighting among minority rival groups.” Corrective measures would have to be taken at the earliest in the interest of the party organisation rather than the two rival camps, he argued.

But members of this neutral group have desisted from making any public remarks on organisational issues as they fear that their comments may be seen as emergence of one more rival camp in the party.

“Now, we cannot wait furthermore. It does not mean that we will take a delegation to the central leaders like the rival camps. But we will cautiously raise the issue at an appropriate forum of the party and alert the leadership about the extent of damage that the infighting may cause to the party organisation if left unresolved,” he noted.