Bengaluru: BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday held BJP national joint general secretary and RSS functionary B L Santhosh responsible for the rift in the party.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Yeddyurappa said most of the supporters of Eshwarappa are close to Santosh who has masterminded the rift in the party.
Further he added that Eshwarappa was working against the interests of the party and hs activities are only helping the Congress party.
The party central leadership and people are watching, he said.
His comments come in the backdrop of a convention held by BJP old guards on Thursday where supporters of Yeddyurappa and senior leader K S Eshwarappa got engaged in a scuffle.
Soon after the convention a press conference was called by Yeddyurappa’s supporters who sought Eshwarappa’s expulsion from the party. MLAs from Bengaluru city C N Ashwath Narayan, Y A Narayanaswamy, Muniraju, M Krishnappa, Ravi Subramanya, B N Vijay Kumar and S Vishwanath were present at the press meet.
They pointed out that party president Amit Shah had issued strict instructions that party functionaries should not associate themselves with the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade.
They said Eshwarappa’s conduct had brought disrepute to the party. Narayanaswamy said Eshwarappa had secured the fourth place and lost his deposit in the 2013 Assembly polls. However, the party had rehabilitated him by making him an MLC and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council.
Meanwhile Yeddyurappa is likely to leave for New Delhi on Friday where he is expected to call on the central leadership in the next two days. Details of the speech made by Eshwarappa and others at the convention have been despatched to the central leadership.
Who is Santhosh?
Santhosh had served as state general secretary (Organisations)?when B?S?Yeddyurappa was the chief minister.
The position gave him access to all levels at the party. Santhosh fell out with Yeddyurappa after the latter decided to form the KJP. According to BJP?sources, Santosh is against Yeddyurappa’s domination in the party and is keen on cutting him down to size.
