The Hindu : Karnataka News : Two groups lobbying for BJP post

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 05, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Two groups lobbying for BJP post

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, NOV. 4. The tussle for the presidentship of the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a divisive turn: two groups have formed in the party, one supporting the Mangalore MP, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, and the other the Hubli Rural MLA, Jagadish Shettar.

While the BJP leader in charge for Karnataka, Ved Prakash Goyal, has left for Delhi after having gathered the views of the party leaders, the talk here is that the outgoing president and former Union Minister, H.N. Ananth Kumar, is pitching for Mr. Shettar.

According to a source in the party, the BJP has got itself into an "unfortunate situation" in which senior leaders such as B.S. Yediyurappa (Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly) and D.H. Shankaramurthy (Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council) have been propping up the name of Mr. Sadananda Gowda, a Vokkaliga. The view is that as Mr. Yediyurappa is a Lingayat, the other major caste group (Vokkaliga) has to be taken into account. Both the leaders are from the Sangh Parivar background and so is Mr. Sadananda Gowda.

The source said Mr. Ananth Kumar, who has been moved to the Centre as a BJP general secretary, wants to install a person of his choice. The reason given is that by appointing Mr. Shettar (a Lingayat), the aspirations of north Karnataka, where the BJP has made significant inroads, will be fulfilled.

`Decision soon'

The leadership issue would be resolved in the next couple of days by the BJP president, L.K. Advani, who, the source said, was aware of the "ground situation" here. The senior leaders here are worried about Mr. Ananth Kumar's proximity to Mr. Advani.

The source said the BJP needed a new person "who can galvanise the BJP units." In the fight between the two groups, the third factor of S. Bangarappa (former Chief Minister) has come up. However, the source said that though Mr. Bangarappa, MP from Shimoga, had expressed his desire to lead the party and ensure that "it formed the government here," the BJP leadership was averse to appointing him. The reason given was that the party would commit "hara-kiri" by opting for Mr. Bangarappa as it would have to be done ignoring many stalwarts who had served the organisation for long.

Mr. Bangarappa met Mr. Goyal separately.

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