Bangalore: Shobha Not Interested in Becoming State BJP Chief
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Sep 10: Even as Karnataka’s ruling BJP is agog with speculation regarding former chief minister and Lingayat strongman B S Yeddyurappa’s not so secret pressure tactics to force the national party leadership into making him the president of the State unit of BJP ahead of next year’s assembly polls, many of his staunch supporters have declined to accept the post.
With the incumbent State BJP Chief K S Eshwarappa joining the Jagadish Shettar ministry as deputy chief minister with revenue department under his charge and the party required to find a replacement, Yeddyurappa as well as his immediate successor D V Sadananda Gowda have been making concerted efforts through their supporters to exert pressure on the party high command on gaining control of the party.
Though for the record, both Yeddyurappa and Sadananda Gowda have denied that they are not really interested in occupying the State BJP president’s post, it is common knowledge that the supporters of both the leaders are interested in ensuring that they occupy the top post in the state unit so that their chances of getting the party ticket would not be affected.
However, the BJP party command, especially party stalwart L K Advani, is believed to be not keen on allowing Yeddyurappa gain the upper hand in the organization in view of the corruption charges and court cases pending against him.
Naturally, Yeddyurappa is known to be upset and has reportedly conveyed the message to BJP national leaders including opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely to ensure that the national president Nitin Gadkari makes him the State BJP president concedes his request or he would be forced to quit the party along with the supporters.
Yeddyurappa has reportedly told the BJP national leaders that the recent NDTV pre-poll assessment had demonstrated his clout and pull among the electorate and that the BJP might come a cropper without him.
Even as rival factions within the ruling party in the State are trying to gain control of the party by ensuring that either Yeddyurappa or Sadananda Gowda are made president’s of the State unit, efforts are also being to project leaders of Yeddyurappa faction like Large and Medium Industries Minister Muruguesh Nirani and Public Works Minister C M Udasi, both of whom belong to the dominant Lingayat community to which Yeddyurpapa belongs, or Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who belongs to the Vokkaliga community, as possible alternatives if the BJP high command was not inclined to instal Yeddyurappa as the State BJP president until the charges against him were cleared in order to ensure that the Lingayat strongman is placated.
Both Nirani and Udasi have already clarified that they were not interested in occupying the State BJP president’s post and would be happy if their leader Yeddyurappa is given the honour as he is a mass leader and enjoys support all over the State. The two leaders have contended that with Yeddyurappa as State BJP President, the party was poised to return to power with improved strength.
Now, it is the turn of Shobha Karandlaje to clarify that she is not interested in becoming the president of the State unit of the BJP. There is no truth in reports published in some section of the press that she was an aspirant for the State BJP president’s post, she said.
“I am ready to shoulder the responsibility of the General Secretary’s post in the State unit of the BJP and not that of the president,” the Minister said.
The State BJP has launched membership drive recently and the new president would not be appointed in the next few days.
Asked about likely candidates for the post of the president, Karandlaje said “some party people drop names of leaders to get publicity.”
''No discussion on electing a new president had taken place in the party till today,” she claimed.
BJP national general secretary and former union minister Ananth Kumar’s name had also cropped up prominently in the beginning if Yeddyurappa and Sadananda Gowda were not found acceptable. However, Ananth Kumar too had scotched the speculation and made it clear that he was comfortable to serve the party at the national level and was not interested in occupying the State president’s post.