As BJP patriarch L.K. Advani and president Nitin Gadkari attempt to paper over growing cracks in the state unit in Rajasthan, the factional war in Karnataka could be coming to a head over a letter written by Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda seeking Delhi’s sanction to sack B.S. Yeddyurappa’s supporters from the cabinet for “anti-party activities.”

Targeting key BSY aides — cabinet ministers Shobha Karandlaje, V. Somanna, C.M. Udasi, Basavaraj Bommai, Umesh Katti and Murugesh Nirani — the CM details the chronology of events and instances when BSY loyalists resorted to ‘anti-party’ activities.

The five-page letter, dated March 26, addressed to party president Nitin Gadkari and co-signed by state party chief, K.S. Eshwarappa has, curiously been sent back to Mr Yeddyurappa by someone in BJP headquarters in Delhi. The missive has set in motion a counter move by an angry and defiant pro-BSY faction, seeking to oust the chief minister by demanding a legislature session where the charges will be discussed. The counter letter has been signed by 19 BJP MLAs, ostensibly at the behest of Mr Yeddyurappa, bracing for a CBI probe in connection with charges of illegal gratification from miners.

In the letter, the MLAs demand a discussion, stating, “You and state BJP president K.S. Eshwarappa jointly write a complaint to the party national president Nitin Gadkari stating that some of the ministers are involved in anti-party activities that resulted in the defeat of party candidate in Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha bypolls.” Agriculture minister Umesh Katti, former minister Laxman Savadi, former minister H. Halappa, MLAs B.P. Harish, Revu Naik Belamagi, Prathap Gowda Patil, Beluru Gopalakrishna, Sunil Vallapure, V.S. Patil and others had signed the letter. Sources said the MLAs would demand an immediate change of leadership in the state, but not all are die-hard BSY supporters.

Letter bomb reignites BJP crisis
With the sword of a CBI probe hanging over B.S. Yeddyurappa’s head and the Supreme Court likely to make a decision any time, this was one master move even his rivals would not have dreamt of.

Sources said the March 26 letter which ‘exposes’ CM Sadananda Gowda and party chief Eshwarappa’s plan to get BSY loyalist ministers out of the Cabinet, was ‘leaked’ by the BSY camp itself Reason: The former CM’s supporters know he is on thin ice if the apex court approves a CBI nod which would kill any hope he had of becoming CM again. What better way to keep the pot boiling than leak a letter which makes no secret of the animosity between the two camps and put the CM on the defensive?

BSY loyalists are now demanding a meeting of the legislature party (BJPLP) to discuss the letter, which will give them a chance to press for a change of leadership Sources close to BSY said that with a CBI probe likely to seal all hopes of his comeback as CM, his supporters hit on the idea of exploiting the contents of an old letter to make one more effort to dislodge the Gowda government.

There are other theories doing the rounds on why the letter was leaked at this juncture. The BSY camp feels the Central leadership may give its nod for Cabinet expansion soon after the Supreme Court verdict on the CEC recommendation for a CBI probe. The best way to prevent this is seek a legislature party meeting and oppose such a move, sources said. The six ministers who have been targeted by the CM in his letter, may seek a clarification from him in the next Cabinet meeting. Sources in the CM's office asserted no letter has been received for a BJPLP meet.