The Yeddyurappa-Eshwarappa feud has taken on a new turn, with the leader of Opposition in the Vidhana Parishad taking a dig at the former Chief Minister, reminding him that loyalty to the party was paramount.
“No one votes for BJP because of individuals like Yeddyurappa and me,” said Eshwarappa, while speaking to media persons on Thursday at BJP leader Sagodu Shivanna’s residence in Tumakuru.
Even as he said that Yeddyurappa was like a brother to him, Eshwarappa refused to hold back any blows. “People vote for the party. Yeddyurappa should realise that. Yeddyurappa cannot be considered the face of BJP. He alone cannot win votes for the party. It’s collective effort of the party members that will bring the party to power. The party is more important than one person,” Eshwarappa said
He predicted a bleak future for the BJP if Yeddyurappa remained stubborn and chose to pay heed only to a few selfish leaders in the party.
“Yeddyurappa has not mended his way of holding a meeting with a select few party members who are close to him, and believing that their decision is the final one. When he deserted BJP and formed KJP, he lost and came running back. None of the party members opposed it. Now he is doing the same thing and taking one-sided decisions without discussing it with other members of the party,” Eshwarappa said.
Commenting on Yeddyurappa’s meeting with 24 disgruntled party members, which was scheduled for Thursday, Eshwarappa said that he had no clue about the proposed meeting.
He reiterated that the 24 party leaders had written a letter to Yeddyurappa about issues that were wrongly decided upon and stated that there was no question of attending the meeting.
“I never indulged in anti-party activities and have worked for the party’s progress. I have not done anything that makes me hang my head in shame. The party has reciprocated my gesture and allowed me to grow, and given me power. So, I can never think of betraying the party,” he stated.
Yeddyurappa, however, refused to react to Eshwarappa's outbursts and said that all contentious issues would be discussed in party forums. He reminded party workers that a meeting has been convened in the city on Thursday for thrashing out all differences.
Reacting strongly, BJP leader and Yeddyurappa’s supporter, Aynoor Manjunath slammed Eshwarappa for his statements against the party head.
“If Yeddyurappa does not have the ability to win votes then Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Amit Shah committed an error in appointing Yeddyurappa as the party’s state head,” he said.
“If the person contesting for the post of Karnataka CM should not matter to the party, then we (BJP workers) have no issue with Eshwarappa becoming the party’s state President. If this mudslinging continues, then people will not vote for the party at all,” he added.