The BJP central leadership is said to be concerned over groupism making a comeback into the organisation ahead of the passing on the mantle of party leadership from veteran leader B.S. Yeddyurappa to second-line leaders.
“The aspiration of two prominent second-line leaders for the post of party State president, expected to be soon relinquished by Mr. Yeddyurappa, has assumed the proportions of a turf war,” sources in the BJP central unit said.
The BJP State circles are abuzz with speculations over who will succeed Mr. Yeddyurappa since he has completed the full term of three years. Though the central leadership has dropped hints that the State leadership change is unlikely to take place before August, it is learnt that intense lobbying has already begun.
While a few leaders have publicly stated that they are interested in the top post, the central leadership is said to be particularly concerned over alleged lobbying by former Deputy Chief Minister R. Ashok and State general secretary Arvind Limbavali.
Both leaders have not personally issued any statements, but the central leadership is said to be annoyed with their supporters trying to aggressively promote them through social media and other means. What is said to have particularly upset them is the timing of lobbying, when the national unit is occupied with the Lok Sabha elections.
Earlier incident
The concern over the “turf war” between these two leaders from Bengaluru city is also being attributed to an earlier incident that had embarrassed top leaders. The poor attendance for the launch of a Statewide tour, flagged off by party national [president Amit Shah in Bengaluru ahead of the Assembly polls, was attributed to the alleged differences within the city unit.
The central unit is learnt to be keen that such incidents do not recur.
The proposed change of guard has attracted a lot of interest and importance this time as the one who gets the post would be in the reckoning to lead the party in the future considering Mr. Yeddyurappa’s age.
However, the central leadership is learnt to be in favour of going to polls under Mr. Yeddyurappa’s leadership even if mid-term elections are held for the State assembly in the immediate future, as he still continues to be the party’s best political bet.