BJP high command summons Karnataka stalwart BS Yediyurappa to New Delhi

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‘Subject unknown’

“BJP national president JP Nadda has summoned me to New Delhi. I don’t know what the subject is,” Yediyurappa told reporters in Bengaluru on Sunday.

He added, “I will go there, talk to him and if possible, I will return by tonight because a massive protest by thousands has been planned for day-after-tomorrow. So I will try to return by tonight or tomorrow morning.”

Asked whether he had been called to New Delhi to discuss the appointment of LoP, Yediyurappa said he was not aware.

“… After talking to him, I will get to know what is running through his mind. I don’t have any clue why he has summoned me,” the former Karnataka chief minister said.

To a query about the lobbying in the party for the two top posts, Yediyurappa said only the national leaders would take a call on such matters.

“Many people demand many things… Our national leaders will decide. Since he (Nadda) has called me, I will go there and talk to him,” he added.

Also read: Will write to PM and leadership on poll defeat: Renukacharya

Contest for prime posts

There is a stiff contest in the saffron party in the state for these two prime posts. There are many frontrunners for the role of Opposition leader, sources in the BJP said.

Among them are former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, former ministers Araga Jnanendra, R Ashoka and Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.

Former Minister V Somanna recently expressed his desire to become the BJP state president.

The incumbent Nalin Kumar Kateel said although his term got over a year ago he was continuing in the post due to the Assembly elections.

Now, the decision on his replacement would be made by the party high command, he said.

Legislative party meeting rescheduled

According to party sources, the BJP legislative party meeting to elect their leader, which was scheduled for Sunday, has been cancelled.

“Today there is no meeting of the BJP legislative party. We expect that the leader of the Opposition will be decided by tomorrow (Monday) afternoon,” a senior BJP leader told PTI.

Meanwhile, the tussle between former minister Murugesh Nirani and Vijayapura City MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has escalated in the Belagavi region.

BJP leader and former Honnali MLA MP Renukacharya urged Kateel to step down from his post taking moral responsibility for the party’s defeat in the Assembly elections.

At the same time, the Congress mocked the BJP’s indecisiveness to finalise the leader of the Opposition.

In a tweet on Saturday, the party posted a picture of a chair with a caption which read, “Advertisement — Urgently needed. A suitable person for the vacant post of leader of Opposition of Karnataka assembly is required.”

Protest against Congress

Regarding the BJP’s agitation on Tuesday, Yediyurappa said a massive protest will be organised against the ruling Congress for its “failure” to fulfil its election promises.

“It has been decided to protest the failure of the state government. Thousands of people will participate. I will also take part in it,” he added.

With just one day left for the Assembly’s budget session to start, the BJP has yet to finalise its leader of Opposition.

While a blame game is afoot in the party ranks on who should be held responsible for the defeat, senior leaders have begun publicly demanding the resignations of office bearers.

Senior BJP leader and former MLA MP Renukacharya have demanded the resignation of party state president and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel for the party’s miserable performance in the recently-concluded Assembly polls.

(With PTI inputs)