BJP leadership cracks the whip at dissidence in Karnataka

In an effort to stem the growing tide ofdissidence in the party, the Karnataka unit of BJP hasresolved to seek disciplinary action against formerFederal Minister and BJP MP Basavanagowda PatilYatnal, who had launched a no-holds-barred verbalonslaught on Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

Closing ranks with the beleaguered Deputy ChiefMinister, senior BJP leaders in the State and a hostof Ministers in the coalition Government in Karnatakamet in Bangalore yesterday and decided to urge theparty’s national leadership to initiate immediateaction against Yatnal.

The party’s Karnataka unit President D V SadanandaGowda also attended the meeting of senior BJP leadersheld at the residence of Minister for Higher EducationD H Shankarmurthy in Bangalore on Friday.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said therewas no threat to the JD (S)-BJP coalition Governmenton account of the internal strife in the BJP. “It istheir internal party matter. It will be resolved.There is no threat to the Government”, he toldreporters before attending a Cabinet meetingyesterday.

The BJP leadership’s decision to seek action againstYatnal comes after two day’s of dramatic developmentsin the party’s Karnataka unit. A day after Yatnal, BJPMP representing Bijapur, accused the Deputy ChiefMinister of behaving in an autocratic manner andrunning the party as his personal fiefdom, a ruffledYediyurappa dispatched a letter to BJP nationalPresident Rajnath Singh threatening to quit if noaction is taken against his detractors in the party,who had openly blown the whistle of revolt.

Yatnal’s public outbursts against Yediyurappa inBijapur two days ago had sent the BJP into a tizzy. Accusing the Deputy Chief Minister of nepotism andneglecting northern Karnataka, Yatnal said he waslaunching a “Yediyurappa Hatao, BJP Bachao” campaignand set a fifteen-day deadline for Yediyurappa’souster as Deputy Chief Minister and BJP’s LegislatureParty leader.

Stung by the open attack on him, Yediyurappa, who was scheduled to leave for New Delhi on Thursday toparticipate in a meeting of the State FinanceMinisters, cancelled his trip, left his officialresidence and stopped using his official car and pilot. He headed to the RSS office on the outskirts ofthe City in a private car and held confabulations withhis supporters and RSS leaders.

After emerging from the meeting, Yediyurappa spoke toRajnath Singh over phone and informed him of his decision to quit if the party failed to act against his detractors, including Yatnal.