Elevation of BSY to poll campaign team recreates rift in Karnataka BJP

The elevation of BJP strongman and former Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa to the party’s main electioneering team has reopened a schism within the Karnataka BJP. To calm nerves, the party’s high command dispatched several senior leaders to Bengaluru, including national general secretary in charge of Karnataka Arun Singh and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

According to sources, BJP Central leadership brought back BS Yediyurappa to the center stage fearing a likely electoral setback.

Arun Singh and Dharmendra Pradhan spoke to the dissidents, including V Somanna, about the same and are about to hold a BJP core committee meet in Bengaluru today, sources added.

According to the reports, there has been a certain traction from the rank and files of the BJP at grass-root level ever since Yediyurappa announced his retirement from electoral politics. He has been asked to accompany state, as well as national leaders since the Vijay Sankalp Yatra kicked off in Karnataka.

Certain camps in BJP felt that it was time for BJP to move on but bringing Yediyurappa back to the centre-stage might be a setback as they would be elbowed out of the campaign and the will lose ground in the party. As BS Vijayendra has been waiting in the wings, some camps also fear what might his role be.