Expelled former BJP minister KS Eshwarappa has expressed concern over recent reports of a meeting of a faction of the BJP leadership at a resort in Belagavi.
Speaking to the media in Shivamogga on Monday, Mr Eshwarappa said he was one of those who built the party in Karnataka and this development had hurt him. The party leadership should take the developments seriously, talk to the politicians who attended the separate meeting and try to resolve the differences.
Mr Eshwarappa was expelled from the BJP after contesting the assembly elections as an independent candidate in Shivamogga earlier this year.
He said the BJP leaders who met in Belagavi had decided to hold a protest march in north Karnataka. Any such move would affect the party’s unity. “The leaders who met in Belagavi are working to strengthen the party. The issues raised by them must be addressed by the party leadership. Otherwise, the party will be divided into district and taluk-level groups,” he said.
Furthermore, Mr. Eshwarappa said that many party leaders were surprised when BY Vijayendra was made the state party president. “He was given this responsibility only because he is the son of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa. Under his leadership, the party did not do well in the assembly elections. Last time, the party had won 25 seats. This time, it could not win 28 seats despite an alliance with the JD(S),” he said.
