I will Not Betray Yeddyurappa, says Eshwarappa
Bangalore, Apr 14 (PTI): A day after B S Yeddyurappa claimed there were no differences within Karnataka's ruling BJP, state party chief K S Eshwarappa, who has emerged the rallying point for dissidents, today said there was no question of leadership change and he would not ''betray'' the Chief Minister.
"There is no change in leadership of Yeddyurappa. I will not betray him. If I do it, it would amount to betraying my parents. Yeddyurappa is our leader," Eshwarappa said at a function here.
Both the leaders shared pleasantaries and showered praise on each other, besides pledging before the Rambhapuri Mutt seer that they would work "together". The two leaders, who did not see eye to eye in the past few months, appears to have broken the ice in their ties at the unveiling of a convention hall in memory of his late wife Maithradevi by Yeddyurappa.
Yeddyurappa had yesterday said "there is no dissidence at all. Whatever minor differences are there have been resolved". Eshwarappa, who also hails from Shimoga district like Yeddyurappa, said "some people are under the illusion that there is dissidence in BJP. Whatever minor differences are there they will be resolved by the party high command".
"We will not take problems of the party onto the streets. We will resolve it by ourselves", said Eshwarappa who had on earlier occasions made no bones about corruption allegations faced by Yeddyurappa and even demanded a change of guard to save BJP and its first ever government in the South.
Eshwarappa launched a veiled attack on former prime minister H D Devegowda saying "some people want the family rule to continue in the state. They are sowing seeds of poison in the minds of the people". Yeddyurappa should not be the leader of the Lingayat community only but all sections of the society, Eshwarappa said.
BJP would remain in power for another 25 years in the state, he claimed.
Overwhelmed by Eshwarappa's comments, Yeddyurappa recalled the "sacrifice" of ministerial post by Eshwarappa to lead the party in the state and also his contribution towards installing the BJP government in the South.
"I have been facing agni pareekshe (trial by fire) ever since I assumed office. But I have been striving for development of the state. There are no differences between us (Eshwarappa and him)", he said. Only yesterday, Eshwarappa held consultations with RSS leaders in Hubli over the problems faced by BJP in the wake of allegations of corruption faced by Yeddyurappa.