Ahead of senior BJP leader L.K. Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra reaching Bengaluru, a tug of war has started between two saffron heavyweights in Karnataka politics, former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Bengaluru (south) MP and convenor of the yatra Ananth Kumar. While Mr Kumar wants to use the occasion as a
show of strength, jailed Mr Yeddyurappa’s loyalists are working overtime to turn the event a damp squib. Both Mr Kumar and Mr Yeddyurappa are considered as arch rivals.
Sources said if Mr Kumar’s supporters are making efforts to gather maximum crowd, Mr Yeddyurappa’s supporters are dissuading them to attend Mr Advani’s public rally. Party sources disclosed that Mr Kumar’s supporters also want to prove it to Mr Advani and the BJP top brass that the Bengaluru (south) MP also has a major clout and is also a mass leader.
Mr Advani’s yatra will reach Bengaluru on October 30. Before Mr Yeddyurappa’a arrest in a graft case, there were apprehensions whether Mr Yeddyurappa will welcome the yatra along with another senior leaders and chief minister D.V. Sadananada Gowda.
It could be mentioned that after Mr Yeddyurappa’a arrest, Mr Advani had virtually admitted that his arrest had embarrassed the party. Even the RSS had said that the former Karanataka chief minister had embarrassed the Sangh.
There had been occasions when Mr Yeddyurappa loyalists had criticised Mr Kumar for leading anti-Yeddyurappa faction. Speculations were rife that mining barons, the Reddy brothers, who had once openly revolted against Mr Yeddyurappa when he was the chief minister, were supported by Mr Kumar.
It could also be mentioned that when Mr Yeddyurappa was forced to resign by the party over graft charges, Mr Kumar’s supporters had put pressure on the BJP top brass to name their candidate as Mr Yeddyurappa’s successor but failed.