2 weeks Ago By B V Shiva Shankar
Bengaluru: The unity that opposition BJP displayed in Belagavi last month during the CT Ravi - Laxmi Hebbalkar spat, while the partly rallied behind its MLC, turned out to be short-lived. Fault lines have resurfaced even as the party is gearing up for agitation against the Congress govt on multiple issues, starting this weekend. The trigger for latest dissidence is the teams formed by state president BY Vijayendra to fight against the govt.
He has constituted two teams - one to agitate over the series of suicides by govt officials and civil contractors and the other on the fact-finding mission related deaths of lactating mothers. The dissidents have objected that they have not been included in either of the two committees. Worse, the dissidents have announced a separate protest tour led by senior MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal over the waqf muddle.
The Yatnal-led team will visit Ballari and Hospet on Friday and Saturday and they are not taking part in the agitation to be held in Kalaburagi on Saturday, seeking resignation IT-BT and RDPR minister Priyanka Kharge in connection of contractor Sachin Panchal's suicide case. While the 17-member team on suicides comprises leader of opposition in legislative council Chalvadai Narayanaswamy, a couple of MLAs including Araga Jnanendra and Basavaraj Mattimod, the 13-member team on the maternal mortality consists of MLAs Shilendra Beldale, Avinash Jadhav and others. Yatnal and his supporters are conspicuously left out.
Even leader of opposition in legislative assembly R Ashoka, who had backed Yatnal's separate agitation of the Waqf issue in Nov, is not in either of the teams. "The teams have been formed unilaterally without consulting any senior functionary. Many of us have not been included, nor have we been asked to take part in the agitation.
So, we have our own plan to fight against the corrupt govt," said GM Siddeshwara, former Lok Sabha MP and member of the Yatnal-led camp. Apart from touring across the state, the Yatnal team is planning to report to the patty high command about the state of affairs in the Karnataka BJP unit. Yatnal and a few seniors are planning to camp in New Delhi on Jan 8, 9 and 10, as they want to update the national leaders that it is the golden opportunity for the party to come back strongly in Karnataka with the series of scams being reported against the Congress govt, but the local leadership is unable to cash in on thanks to its failure to take all sections into confidence and ensure unity.
Even CT Ravi is visibly upset about the development, as he appealed for truce among the warring factions. He said he would speak personally to the heads of both camps. "All our cadre and senior functionaries stood united in my case, when I fought against the high handedness of the police and the autocratic attitude of the govt.
And I am thankful for that. But the unity we displayed in Belagavi should sustain, if at all we want to take on Congress effectively," said Ravi. While acknowledging the concern, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy sought to make light of the issue.
"Not that there is a lack of unity in the party. Yatnal and other seniors may have planned the tour on the waqf issue, as they are not aware of the Kalaburagi agitation. I will call upon them to join the protest on Saturday," he said.
Explore the yearly horoscope 2025 for Aries , Taurus , Gemini , Cancer , Leo , Virgo , Libra , Scorpio , Sagittarius , Capricorn , Aquarius , and Pisces zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes , messages and quotes ..
