With the internal rift in the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)’s Karnataka unit reaching flash point, the party’s central leadership has finally woken up.

Dissenters have been challenging the leadership of state party president and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa for the last couple of months.

A section of leaders in the party is not too happy with the reconstitution of the party’s various state committees, which saw a few senior leaders being sidelined. Some leaders also want the saffron party to focus more on the backward classes to counter Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah.

The leaders who have been sidelined have been sending letters to the media but not coming out in the open. This has rattled Yeddyurappa.

KS Eshwarappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, who, like Yeddyurappa, hails from Shivamogga, has floated a Sangolli Rayanna Brigade to consolidate the backward classes.

The move by Eshwarappa, which is not in sync with the party’s official position, has angered Yeddyurappa.

The spat has finally reached central leaders in Delhi. Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa have been summoned to New Delhi on January 27 for a conciliatory meeting. The meeting has been scheduled on the day a mega rally of the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade — ignoring Yeddyurappa’s objections — is to be held at Kudalasangama in Bagalkot district.

The Sangolli Rayanna Brigade is an apolitical forum to bring backward classes and Dalits under one roof. It is mentored by Eshwarappa, who has been touring the state creating awareness.

Yeddyurappa, however, sees it as a ploy to undermine his authority and has been ranting against Eshwarappa, threatening to take disciplinary action against Brigade members and Eshwarappa.

With polls due in less than a year, political observers feel it is time the central leadership sorted out the issue.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Yeddyurappa declined to comment on the matter. “I don’t want to comment on internal issues of the party. The Central leadership is aware of the issue and will take appropriate action after the Assembly elections to five States next month.”