Bangalore: With the impending exit of its rebel leader BS Yeddyurappa weighing heavily on its mind, the BJP on Saturday discussed its possible fallout and decided to take disciplinary action against those violating party discipline. At a day-long meeting to prepare the party for the assembly polls, most leaders voiced concern over Yeddyurappa forming his regional party and its impact on BJP and wanted the central leadership to retain him.
Yeddyurappa, sulking ever since he was forced to demit office as chief minister in July 2011 over the illegal mining issue has stated he would form his own party early next month and rejected overtures to keep him in the BJP fold. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, BJP General Secretary HN Anant Kumar, State unit President KS Eshwarappa and former Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda also participated in the deliberations.
The meeting discussed the recent goings on in the party and decided to act in accordance with "disciplinary procedures", state unit Vice-President and MP Nalinkumar Kateel said. The meeting was attended by party General Secretary and in charge of Karnataka affairs Dharmendra Pradhan, who held a series of meetings with office-bearers, district-level heads, ministers and MPs.
"All efforts are on to retain Yeddyurappa. We hope December 9 will not come (referring to the date on which the former Chief Minister will launch his new outfit Karnataka Janata Paksha in Haveri)," General Secretary Raghunath Malkapure said. According to BJP sources, the party is toying with the idea of slapping disciplinary action against some Yeddyurappa loyalists.
Earlier, Eshwarappa rubbished Yeddyurappa's claims that the Shettar government is a coalition ministry of BJP-KJP (Karnataka Janata Party) and asserted it is the BJP government. He indicated that action would be taken against those attending the Yeddyurappa rally.
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