It looks like the coming year will have a lot in store for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka. On Wednesday, there was a clear rift within the party, and now it has come out in the open, with former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa lashing out at state party President, K S Eshwarappa.
On Thursday morning, the former chief minister, who has been eyeing for an important post in the party lashed out at Eshwarappa by stating that he had to spend 24 days in jail only because of him.
"Ever since he took over as the president of the party, he has been targetting me. He projects me like a criminal and he wants to ensure that I am thrown out of the party," said Yeddyurappa.
This development is expected to have a far reaching effect on the prospects of the party which is already dreading a rebellion. State leaders have spent a considerable amount of time in New Delhi since the past three days speaking with the Central leadership about the crisis.
Yeddyurappa, on the other hand, has been on and off with his remarks. Two days ago, he said that he was the one who built the party and hence should be given a position of importance in it.
Although he has not said it in as many words, he is gunning for his former post, which he held before being forced out following the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.
On Wednesday, there were strong signs of rebellion and he was upping the ante against the Central leadership through his 30 odd followers.
However, late Wednesday night, he appeared to strike a subdued note and stated that he would abide by what ever the party leadership had to say.
However, he made it clear that he would wait only until January 14. For the BJP, it would not be easy to ignore him. All 30 MLAs who subscribe to him will follow him. In that case, then it would be curtains for the BJP government in Karnataka.
Though he has been asking for the CM's post, he would be contend to settle down with the position of the state president.
A source said that he believes that he could lead the party to victory in the next elections as the president and then automatically be made the chief minister. Word from the Central leadership is that they are not ready to give in easily.
"They would not want to buckle down to the dikkat of one man," said a source.
Eshwarappa is also of the same opinion. "I am expecting the Central leadership to take a decision on the issue, so that there is no confusion," he said.
The Central leadership on the other hand wants to drag out the issue preferably for another two years. They would want to groom two more leaders from the party and face the elections under their leadership.
In case the party is unable to find a solution to the Yeddyurappa situation then they would have to deal with another crisis altogether.
Yeddyurappa would wait until January 14 and then most likely stage a coup against his party. On his mind at the moment is to either float a new party or revive the Janata Dal-United in the state.
He has also been given feelers by the Nationalist Congress Party to join them and run the party in the state. However, at the moment it would be a wait and watch game.
