Though the tussle between senior Minister K.S. Eshwarappa and Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is expected to be looked into by the party central leaders only in May as they are busy with the elections to State Assemblies, there is a likelihood of the issue coming up for discussion at the State core committee meeting on April 18.
“The agenda is yet to be finalised. However, as Mr. Eshwarappa and Mr. Yediyurappa will be attending the meeting as core committee members, there is a possibility of the issue figuring,” observed a leader from the party. He, however, added that only the party central leadership could resolve the issue considering its seriousness as well as the seniority of leaders involved.
The party high command is yet to focus on this contentious issue in Karnataka as it is occupied with the preparations for the ongoing Assembly elections in different States, he pointed out. “As of now, the ongoing polls are a political priority for the Central leadership. Hence, the Karnataka issue could be taken up only after completion of Assembly polls by this month-end,” he explained. Some leaders argue that if the Central leadership has to involve itself in government formation in any of the States going to polls, finding a resolution to the Karnataka tussle may get delayed further.
Meanwhile, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, who is also in-charge of Karnataka, is arriving in the State on a four-day visit on Thursday. But sources close to him made it clear that he would dedicate the visit to campaigning for byelections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats and visiting all constituencies that are going to polls. But some leaders in the party State unit feel that Mr. Singh may give his feedback on the episode informally.
The supporters of both Mr. Eshwarappa and the Chief Minister admit that the issue cannot be resolved without the intervention of the party high command as Mr. Eshwarappa has stirred up a hornet’s nest by complaining to the Governor and Prime Minister about “interference” by Mr. Yediyurappa in his departmental administration.