Discontent flares over rejigged Karnataka BJP as Yatnal cites KGF to target Yediyurappa’s ‘KJP-2’

The simmering discontent has now again come to the fore in the wake of Vijayendra’s Saturday move to rejig the state BJP by appointing new office-bearers, which has caused resentment among several detractors of Yediyurappa, who have dubbed the revamped unit as “KJP-2”.

This is a reference to Yediyurappa’s erstwhile breakaway outfit KJP (Karnataka Janata Paksha) which he had floated after quitting the BJP in 2012. In the 2013 elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, the KJP could win just 6 seats, but it severely dented the BJP’s prospects which plunged to 40 seats from its previous tally of 110 seats, thereby giving the Congress a smooth victory. Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections however, Yediyurappa returned to the BJP and merged the KJP with it.

Yediyurappa’s opponents, including Basangouda Patil Yatnal and V Somanna, are now upset over Vijayendra’s move to sideline them and pack the new state unit with the former’s loyalists. Senior leader Yatnal, who had been an aspirant for the post of the state party president or the LoP, vented his anger openly like he had done earlier over Vijayendra’s appointment.

Referring to the Kannada blockbuster film KGF, Yatnal said Sunday that the new state unit was “KJP-2”. Pointing out that KGF would have three parts, he said, “KJP-1 was Yediyurappa’s party and KJP-2 is Vijayendra’s. His grandson’s party will be KJP-3.”

A Lingayat leader known for his Hindutva credentials, Yatnal went on to add that the reconstituted BJP unit would have a “life span” only till the Lok Sabha elections slated for April-May 2024. “The keys of the party have been handed over to thieves. If they don’t win 28 (Lok Sabha) seats in the state, they (leadership) will take the keys back,” he said.

Former Union minister D V Sadananda Gowda also said that the new state BJP was “not strong”, indicating that it was formed without consulting senior party leaders.

Vijayendra’s revamped team has 10 vice-presidents, including ex-ministers Murugesh Nirani and Byrati Basavaraju, four general secretaries — including ex-minister V Sunil Kumar and former MLAs P Rajeev, NS Nandeesh Reddy and Preetham Gowda — 10 secretaries and new heads for various morchas of the party.

Amid the fireworks within the state BJP, the ruling Congress took potshots at the principal Opposition. “In the appointment of office bearers, they have sidelined seniors and the anti-BSY camp to form KJP. Even before they could douse the fire caused by the appointments of Leader of Opposition and BJP state president, BJP is caught in another fire,” the Congress said in a post on X.

The developments in the BJP following its debacle in the May Assembly polls have marked a comeback of Yeddyurappa, who has ensured his faction’s dominance over the state party affairs by securing key posts for his son and other loyalists. The BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santosh’s camp, to which Yatnal is affiliated, had an upper hand within the state party unit until the Assembly polls.