There is no question of rebellion in the BJP, either in Belagavi or elsewhere, over the distribution of tickets, according to B.S. Yediyurappa, senior BJP leader and former CM.
After meeting some leaders and legislators in Belagavi on March 27, he told reporters, “There is absolutely no problem in the party. There is no dissidence or rebellion in Belagavi or elsewhere. We are all disciplined soldiers of the party and are looking forward to Narendra Modi being the Prime Minister for the third time. There may be a few minor differences of opinion, but they will be resolved through mutual dialogue and consultation.” He was responding to questions on discontent in Koppal, Davangere, Shivamogga and Belagavi.
He had arrived in Belagavi to listen to local BJP leaders who are apparently upset at the party nominating Jagadish Shettar. Mr Shettar hails from Hubballi and is considered an outsider in Belagavi.
MP Iranna Kadadi and Prabhakar Kore are among those opposed to the candidature of Mr. Shettar. Aspirants like Mahantesh Kavatagimath, MLA Abhay Patil, former MLA Anil Benake and others held a meeting in Belagavi. They led a delegation to Bengaluru to meet party leaders. But the party did not relent. Mr Shettar was confirmed as the candidate.
Mr. Yediyurappa denied that he had come to console local leaders. “Some local leaders and workers wanted to invite PM Narendra Modi to Belagavi. I have come to discuss preparations for the visit,” Mr. Yediyurappa said.
He said that there is no opposition to Mr. Shettar being the party nominee from Belagavi. “We brought him back to the BJP. He was a Congress MLC who had a full six-year tenure in front of him. But we convinced him to come (to the BJP), as having a leader like him on our side would help our party. I am sure all our workers and leaders will join his campaign,” he said.
It is believed that the party high command had instructed Mr. Yediyurappa to go to Belagavi to smoothen things out before Mr Shettar began his electoral campaign.
He met senior leaders and some legislators at a private hotel on March 26 night. He was accompanied by BJP State organising secretary G.V. Rajesh and MLC N. Ravi Kumar.
Party sources say he appealed to all the leaders to forget their differences and work for the party. “You should not worry about who the candidate is. Our focus should be making Narendra Modi the PM for the third time,” he is believed to have told MPs Mangala Angadi, Anna Saheb Jolle and Iranna Kadadi, MLAs Abhay Patil and Shashikala Jolle, former MLAs Anil Benake and Sanjay Patil, former MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath, leaders like R.S. Mutalik and M.B. Zirli.
CM should stop criticising PM
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah should stop his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “It is unbecoming of the stature of a Chief Minister to criticise the PM who is loved by all. Mr Siddaramaiah should worry about his own party and the government,” Mr. Yediyurappa told mediapersons.
Some Congress leaders, like Mr Siddaramaiah, are busy criticising the BJP. “That is pointless. They should instead focus on governance and the immediate challenge before the Congress, which is to retain its existence, in the Lok Sabha elections. Because that is likely to wash away in the Modi wave. The BJP will win all 28 LS seats in Karnataka,” he said.
He was responding to Mr Siddaramaiah’s criticism of Mr Modi as a ‘restless liar’. “Mr Siddaramaiah tends to think that he will considered a great leader if he criticises Mr. Modi. But that is not true. Everybody loves Mr. Modi and no one will believe Mr. Siddaramaiah. Anyway, the people of the country remember all the lies told by Congress leaders over the years,” he said.
