The Bharatiya Janata Party's central leadership is having a tough time trying to maintain peace between the two factions in its Karnataka unit which are headed by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and current CM Sadananda Gowda.
Both Yeddyurappa and Gowda have released lists of their supporters. The faction led by Yeddyurappa faction has already arrived at the BJP legislature party meet to elect Jagadish Shettar as the new CM. It has also released a list of 69 Members of Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.
The Gowda camp has released a list claiming the support of 50 MLAs. They want Gowda to be made the president of the party unit in Karnataka and K S Eshwarappa the deputy chief minister. MLAs who support Gowda have refused to attend the BJP meet unless a favourable announcement is made. They have quite a few legislators on their side and the party top bass cannot ignore them.
Meanwhile, leaders from the BJP's central leadership in Delhi, who are in Bengaluru to oversee the nomination of Shettar, are in a fix over the latest turn of events. They are trying to bring the two warring factions together and facilitate talks, but both sides have refused to budge from their position.
Gowda and his supporters have refused to participate in any kind of talks or attend the legislature party meet unless their demands are met.
Yeddyurappa and his supporters, on the other hand, are against the proposal to make Eshwarappa the deputy chief minister.
Home Minister R Ashok, who is also aspiring for that post, has taken a neutral stance and reached the venue. He is hoping that Yeddyurappa will support him for the deputy CM's post, but the faction led by Gowda is unlikely to agree to his candidature.
