Yeddyurappa, Eshwarappa supporters come to blows

Bengaluru, Apr 28: The “Save Party Organisation”?convention organised by a section of the BJP?workers at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on Thursday witnessed fisticuffs between supporters of senior leaders B?S Yeddyurappa and K?S?Eshwarappa.

State BJP vice president M?B?Bhanuprakash, while addressing the gathering, said unilateral decisions were being taken in the party and people who had once walked out of the party were now heading the BJP. Bhanuprakash said “a useless leader” had even issued them a warning.

All of a sudden, a person in the audience stood up and began shouting at Bhanuprakash assuming he was referring to Yeddyurappa.

“Who are you to talk lightly about Yeddyurappa ?” he said and demanded that the remark be withdrawn.

Commotion at the venue

There was commotion for some time when the supporters of Eshwarappa tried to push the protester away. A woman tried to come to the rescue of the protester, leading to further commotion. He was soon outnumbered and pushed out of the venue. The police too intervened.

Scribe abused

Later in the day, a party functionary verbally abused a Kannada news channel reporter for filing “false news”. Most of the TV channels had telecast the fisticuff incident.

Differingvoices

The BJP may be on the threshold of coming to power in the state. But for us, protecting the interests of the party is more important than power.

K?S?Eshwarappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council

We cannot tolerate him (K?S?Eshwarappa)?any more. He has brought disrepute to the party. We do not want such leaders and he should be expelled from the party.

C?N?Ashwath Narayan, Malleswaram MLA

BJP workers in Tumakuru who have worked for the party for more than two decades were ignored during appointments to the district unit. Instead, those who had identified with the KJP only for a few months were given preference. We were issued show-cause notices for fighting this injustice.

Sogadu Shivanna, former minister

We do not want any position in the party or tickets to fight the elections. Our protest is against the unilateral decisions being taken in the party. We would not have lost the bypolls in Gundlupet and Nanjangud had everyone been taken into confidence.

M?B?Bhanuprakash, state BJP vice president