Eshwarappa rings dissident bell in BJP?

Narayana Swamy
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jan 20: Is deputy chief minister of state and BJP state unit president K S Eshwarappa being sidelined in the BJP? Yes; apparently, Eshwarappa himself feels that senior party leaders including CM Jagadish Shettar are not taking him into confidence during any major decision making.

On Saturday January 19, Eshwarappa met a senior RSS leader in Bangalore and expressed his dissatisfaction over the way Shettar has been fuctioning, and over the attitude of another senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar.

Eshwarappa has been keeping a low profile in the last 4-5 days and has hardly been seen in public. Reports say, Eshwarappa is upset over the appointment of chairmen for various boards in the state. He has complained that he was not taken into confidence during the selection process.

Also, Eshwarappa is reportedly unhappy with Ananth Kumar's increasing interference in state affairs. It is said that Kumar made the announcement of Shettar leading the forthcoming elections without consulting him, which did not go down well with the BJP leader.

Sources in the state BJP unit told daijiworld that after the Lokayukta raids on him, Eshwarappa's image has taken a beating, and some senior leaders are deliberately ignoring him to save BJP's face. On the other hand, state BJP observer from centre Dharmendra Pradhan is expected to visit Bangalore to pacify Eshwarappa in view of the upcoming state assembly elections, as B S Yeddyurappa's exit has already damaged the party, and at the moment, the party cannot afford a revolt from another senior leader.