Yeddyurappa will be reduced to a political orphan post-Dec 9: Eshwarappa

Former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa will become a political orphan soon after launching his new party, according to deputy chief minister KS Eshwarappa. He told reporters on Wednesday that Yeddyurappa was going to meet the fate of veteran leaders Devaraj Urs and S Bangarappa (both former chief ministers) who had failed miserably after launching regional parties.

Eshwarappa explained that he would not want to see Yeddyurappa, who emerged as a leader from the Sangh Parivar, ending up his political career in a pitiful state. Yeddyurappa had claimed that the BJP was like his mother and the workers were gods.

“Now, is he betraying his mother and god?” Eshwarappa asked. The deputy CM also threw enough hints of dissolving the assembly if the party MLAs defied the warning not to attend the Karnataka Janta Party (KJP) convention organised by Yeddyurappa at Haveri on December 9.

“The BJP is ready for the ultimate sacrifice. This time, the party has decided not to tolerate indiscipline at any cost. We have paid enough price for encouraging indiscipline in the last four-and-a-half years. We don’t want to put up with it,” Eshwarappa added. “No matter who attends the convention, disciplinary action will be initiated against him or her. We have made that amply clear by expelling Dhananjay kumar,” he added.

He dismissed the claims of Yeddyurappa camp that they had the strength of 70 MLAs. “Not a single legislator will go with him. Give me a name barring four MLAs who have identified with the KJP,” he questioned. He maintained that all legislators had promised of not identifying with the KJP.  “In the core committee meeting of the party chaired by senior leaders Ananth Kumar, Dharmendra Pradhan and DV Sadananda Gowda, all of them had assured that they will not indulge in anti-party activities. No minister, no MLA will quit the BJP,” he said.

Admitting that the BJP erred in compromising with discipline in the past, Eshwarappa said the party had to adopt a soft line on discipline since it did not have presence in all 224 assembly constituencies. Leaders from the JD(S) and Congress were lured. Most of them had become a source of strength for the party. Only a few of them spoiled party’s image, he claimed.

Eshwarappa challenged minister for cooperation BJ Puttaswamy that if he had the courage he should participate in the KJP convention. He reiterated his hope that Yeddyurappa would remain in the BJP by giving up ideas of forming a new party. “He had done that twice,” he added.  

Desperate BSY Eshwarappa intensified his veiled attack against Yeddyurappa. “I don’t know why he is talking like this. I welcome his apologies for raising slogans against LK Advani. I don’t understand why is he talking like this. It must be out of frustration for being jailed or it must have been out of desperation of not getting post of the CM,” he added.

“Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee command respect of the entire nation. They do not have a single blot of corruption charges. It was not fair on part of Yeddyurappa to make cheap comments on Advani,” he maintained.   Eshwarappa maintained that he would not take immediate action against former minister H Halappa, MLA BP Harish, Nehru Olekar and Tarikere Suresh.

Many leaders had issued anti-party statements recently. “Why should one target a few? I will give them the long rope. Let them realise their mistakes and return to the party,” hesaid.