A week ago, the BJP sent a show-cause notice to Karnataka MLA Basangowda Patil Yatnal to repeatedly target the party’s state leadership led by senior leader and former CM BS Yeddyurappa’s son and state BJP chief BY Vijayendra. However, the state BJP may have decided to let Yatnal’s alleged crime slide for now as its attention shifts to two more MLAs who are now in its sights.
At Saturday’s state BJP core committee meeting, Yatnal’s constant attacks on Vijayendra and Yeddyurappa were expected to be discussed at length. But the meeting ended by passing a unanimous resolution against MLAs ST Somshekar (Yashwantpur MLA) and Shivram Hebbar (Yallapura MLA), who have “identified with the Congress”, according to Vijayendra.
“Two MLAs have now identified with the Congress. All members of the core committee were in favor of suspension (from the party) and disqualification (from the assembly). It will be brought to the attention of the high command for further action,” the state BJP chief said after the meeting.
Both Somshekhar and Hebbar were formerly in the Congress and were among the 14 MLAs who defected to the BJP in 2019, resulting in the fall of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government. He was made a minister in BJP governments under Yeddyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai between 2020 and 2023.
The two MLAs have embarrassed the BJP since last year. Hebbar abstained from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections in February, citing health reasons, while Somshekhar cross-voted against the BJP candidate. A meeting with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in January also started speculation that he might quit the BJP.
Adding fuel to the fire was his absence from the Mysuru Chalo Padayatra in August to protest against the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam in which the name of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife was dropped.
In an apparent reference to Yatnal’s “mutiny” and Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, Vijayendra said the state committee had discussed action against those issuing public statements against the leadership. But he did not reveal more.
Yatnal and Jarkiholi, who arrived in Delhi last Wednesday to meet the party’s central leaders, had repeatedly called for the removal of Vijayendra as the state BJP chief, also considered close to former BJP national general secretary (organization) BL Santosh. Attack on state leadership. Attempts by the RSS to mediate a ceasefire between the two camps have also had no effect.
Bijapur city MLA Yatnal was served two notices by the state disciplinary committee for his comments about Yeddyurappa and Bommai in the past, a feud that has escalated since Vijayendra’s appointment as state chief last year. Soon after Vijayendra’s elevation, Yatnal accused Yeddyurappa of “blackmailing” the party’s central leadership to secure the post for his son, a first-time MLA from Shikaripura.
In Karnataka, the Santosh camp has weakened after the candidates it supported were badly defeated in last year’s assembly elections. Yeddyurappa and Santosh had openly disagreed on the selection of candidates. After the defeat, Vijayendra replaced Santosh loyalist Nalin Katel as the state president of BJP. Yeddyurappa loyalist R Ashok has also bagged the post of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.
Dismissing reports about the rift, state BJP general secretary in-charge, Radha Mohan Das Aggarwal, said there was nothing like “Yatnal vs Vijayendra or Yatnal vs BJP” in Karnataka.
On Yatnal’s “rebellion”, Aggarwal said the party has issued a show-cause notice to him and further action will be taken based on the MLA’s response. “I am closely monitoring the issues and the organization is concerned about it,” he said, but categorically ruled out any change in the party’s state leadership.