BENGALURU: A team of senior BJP Karnataka leaders, including MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Kumar Bangarappa, and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, is all set to visit New Delhi to meet national President J.P. Nadda and demand replacement of state party President B.Y. Vijayendra, sources said on Monday.
According to sources, the team members are registering their objection to the election of 23 district Presidents in the state, maintaining that the election process was not transparent and done to ensure the election of Vijayendra to the post for another term.
The team of leaders are going to demand that under no circumstances, the name of Vijayendra should be announced as the state President and an election must be held for the post. They are further likely to appeal to the high command that one among them will contest against Vijayendra.
The team is also likely to meet the BJP MPs from the state who are against Vijayendra and former CM B.S. Yediyurappa. They are likely to take their support to present their case effectively before the high command. They are also contemplating demanding the scrapping of the list of new district Presidents.
Meanwhile, reacting to the developments of open rebellion, Vijayendra stated on Monday in Shivamogga that the damage has already been caused to the party by the acts of senior party leaders."The damage has already happened. In one week, it will be known who will be the state President and everything will become normal, " he said.
Asked about the reports that a faction led by senior BJP leader Yatnal is preparing to contest for the state President’s position, Vijayendra said: "The BJP upholds internal democracy. No other political party conducts organisational elections in such a systematic manner as the BJP. From the Mandal level to the district level, state President elections, and even the national President elections, everything is conducted in an organized way. Everything is happening as per the decisions made by the central leadership."
"For the past year, all our workers and senior leaders have been relentlessly fighting against this corrupt and immoral Congress government. Over the last year of my tenure as state President, the people of the state, our party workers, and our senior leaders and legislators have witnessed the work I have done. With everyone’s support, I am confident that I will continue as the state President and strengthen the party further, " he asserted.