BJP set to rejig dist units as Yeddy, Eshwar pledge to work together for party

Bengaluru, Jan 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party top brass is keen to make changes among the district office bearers in Karnataka after the party chief Amit Shah brokered a truce between senior leaders B S Yeddyurappa and K S Eshwarappa.

Shah, who formed a committee headed by Karnataka in-charge general secretary Muralidhara Rao, instructed him to review the performances of all district office-bearers. Shah also asked him to make changes, if required, for the betterment of the organisation.

Eshwarappa, while accepting Shah's suggestion to maintain a distance from the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, insisted that changes should be made, because in many places, leaders from the erstwhile Karnataka Janata Party, led by Yeddyurappa, were accommodated by ignoring loyal workers.

Accepting Eshwarappa's demand, the party leaders agreed to form a panel, a senior BJP?leader said. The panel also comprises state party president Yeddyurappa, Eshwarappa, BJP?deputy national organising secretary Santosh and state general secretary B P Arun Kumar. It will soon review the activities of the office-bearers.

Together

Interestingly, Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa reached Bengaluru from New Delhi on Saturday on the same flight. Speaking to reporters at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, the two leaders said they will drop all prestige issues and work together for the party.

The two leaders said they were ready to apologise to the party cadre for the confusion caused by the rift between them. Shah on Friday night worked out a peace formula to resolve the differences between the duo under which both the leaders will address rallies jointly to mobilise support of backward classes and Dalits.

Yeddyurappa said he will tour the state with Eshwarappa and work towards the agenda set by Shah to make Karnataka “Congress free”. He said former minister B J?Puttaswamy will continue as the president of the OBC?Morcha of the party, while Eshwarappa will be overall incharge of the forum. He agreed that there was some confusion in the appointment of presidents and office-bearers of the party in a few districts and it will be sorted out soon.

Eshwarappa said he will strive to make Yeddyurappa chief minister of the state. On Shah's instruction that he or any other BJP?leader should not associate themselves with the Rayanna Brigade, Eshwarappa said the forum is apolitical.

Reacting to Friday's development, Brigade president K?Virupakshappa said, “I?would not like to comment now. We will talk to?Eshwarappa and decide on our next step.”