Bengaluru, Sep 1 (IANS): The fight between the BJP National General Secretary B.L. Santhosh and former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has come out in the open yet again, following the party meeting held by Santhosh.

The close confidante of Yediyurappa and former Minister M.P. Renukacharya lashed out at Santhosh and slammed him for holding the meeting in absence of Yediyurappa.

The BJP National General Secretary held a meeting of party leaders on Thursday and stressed "that in 2013, several people said the saffron party would vanish, but it won 40 Assembly seats".

BJP sources say that the reference was brought to highlight the fact that Yediyurappa had quit the BJP and formed his own party Karnataka Janata Paksha in 2013.

Santhosh also said that the BJP had managed to win 60-plus seats in this year's Assembly elections to taunt Yediyurappa as it was the first election BJP faced without projecting his leadership barring in 2013, sources said.

Renukacharya asked why the party tickets were given to 72 new faces in the last Assembly elections and alleged that the BJP National General Secretary wants to become the Karnataka Chief Minister and was trying to control the party.

"He (B.L. Santhosh) has formed a gang of leaders who never got elected from people and sidelined Yediyurappa. The party meeting was fixed on the day when Yediyurappa was away from Bengaluru to participate in the inauguration of commencement of services from the Shivamogga airport, his dream project," he further asked.

"The curse of Yediyurappa is the reason for the humiliating defeat of BJP. Those who held meetings did not build the party. He came from the Sangh parivar in 2006-07 and wants to become the Chief Minister. He is controlling the whole party. He has his own gang, they never get elected from people. They had never built the party," Renukacharya said, targeting Santhosh.

"He sidelined Yediyurappa gradually to ensure that the hold on the party rests with his (Santhosh's) proteges. He finished off Lingayat leadership in BJP. He denied ticket to former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar whose father was with the Jan Sangh. Shettar has served as the Speaker, Opposition leader and Chief Minister, though he did not face any difficulty he was denied ticket to contest."

"Former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa was the only tall leader from Kuruba community and he was denied a ticket. Former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi was also denied a ticket. Nemiraja Naik was denied a ticket, he won from JD (S). Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was regulated and controlled. The gang operated in such a way that it ensured appointments were given to meet PM Modi, Amit Shah, J.P. Nadda, only those who are opposed to Yediyurappa," Renukacharya added.

He also said: "He had told his opinion that if Yediyurappa takes charge of BJP during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party would perform well. But, the gang is indulging in watching who visits Yediyurappa's residence and who are against him."