Yeddyurappa still boss, will be CM candidate: BJP brass

The BJP’s central leadership has played down the factionalism that has erupted in its Karnataka unit and said its even-handed response — removing four office-bearers, two from each faction — sends a message that State leaders should fall in line. In a boost to former Chief Minister and current party chief B.S. Yeddyurappa, however, party interlocutors were clear that the central leadership had “no confusion” over the question of who would lead the State unit and be the party’s chief ministerial candidate in the Assembly polls. “The central leadership has sent a message through these expulsions of what is considered acceptable behaviour. In any case, we don’t see a great or serious problem which creates a challenge for what the party wants to achieve in Karnataka. We are not saying everything is smooth, but the people in the State unit on both sides also understand that for the central leadership, the leader of the campaign for the elections next year and for the party as its face is a settled fact,” said a senior central office-bearer involved with the issue. Matters within the State unit of the BJP had come to a head last week when, under the banner of the Rayanna Brigade, former Deputy Chief Minister Eswarappa criticised Mr. Yeddyurappa. The latter, on his part, had blamed joint national organisational general secretary B.L. Santhosh of not doing enough to curb dissidence. General secretary P. Muralidhar Rao had been rushed to Bengaluru over the weekend to sort matters. Two vice-presidents, the chief of the party’s farmers cell, and a spokesperson were sacked from their posts, an even-handed stick to the two sides. “The leader of the party that the national leadership has recognised [Mr. Yeddyurappa] is not weak or without popular support. On that point, in fact, the whole State unit has no issue. Such problems come up because victory in the State is in sight, and due to some reason or the other, there is a concern about one’s own space, but that is no reason to speak out in public. All sides have been told to express opinions in the party forum,” said the office-bearer. Sources confirmed that leaders like Mr. Eswarappa would be coming to Delhi to present their case with the party high command.