Amid factional war in Karnataka, BJP leadership serves second show cause notice to Yatnal

The fresh notice was issued to Yatnal on February 10 by Om Pathak, member secretary of the committee. It said that his statements against Vijayendra contravened the code of discipline in the BJP’s constitution.

“Despite your assurances of good behavior and conduct in response to earlier show cause notices, you continue to violate and flout your own assurances,” the notice read, asking why the party should not initiate disciplinary action against him.

The committee has sought the Yatnal’s within three days.

The previous show cause notice to Yatnal was issued in the first week of December 2024 for his “continuing tirade against the state-level party leadership” and “defiance of party directives”. Responding to the notice, Yatnal had said that he had simply presented the facts about the current state of the BJP in Karnataka.

Even after that notice, the Vijayapura MLA continued to lash out at Vijayendra and his allies in the party, while lobbying hard to ensure his ouster as party chief.

Vijayendra was appointed BJP Karnataka president in November 2023. Soon after Yatnal had accused Yediyurappa of “blackmailing” the BJP high command to secure the berth for his son. A week ago, Yatnal termed Vijayendra as “characterless and corrupt”.

Last week, the group of MLAs and senior BJP leaders backing Yatnal — who were in Delhi to meet the party top brass — had hinted at a possible replacement of Vijayendra, saying that the leadership would “send a good message” soon.