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It is learnt that the BJP high command has asked both Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and BS Yediyurappa to travel to Delhi for discussions aimed at resolving their differences
BS Yediyurappa (left) and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal . (PTI/X)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Karnataka are deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict between factions of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.
They believe the rivalry is damaging the party’s image, prospects, and, most importantly, the morale of its workers. Leaders feel that only an intervention by the central leadership can resolve the issue.
“The party cadre, who form the heart of any political party, are confused, upset and demoralised as this conflict within the state leadership forces them to take sides between political leaders. There is a need to resolve this issue, and the central leaders must call both parties to the table and ensure a truce soon,” said a senior BJP leader with nearly three decades of experience in building the party in Karnataka.
It is learnt that the BJP high command has asked both Yatnal and Yediyurappa to travel to Delhi for discussions aimed at resolving their differences and working together for the party’s growth.
Yatnal last week visited Delhi to meet Om Pathak, member secretary of the committee, to apprise the leadership of the “issues plaguing the state BJP”. He is also said to have made recommendations to correct the course of the Karnataka BJP at this time. These included the need to end dynastic politics in the party and remove corrupt leaders from key posts who were in tacit understanding and indulging in “adjustment politics” with the ruling Congress.
According to BJP sources, the leadership has taken up the issue very seriously and wants it resolved before the year-end. Although the exact timing of the meeting is unclear, insiders say the central leadership has also asked Yatnal to refrain from making public statements against Yediyurappa and his son and state BJP president BY Vijayendra. These remarks, they say, have tarnished the party’s image and unnecessarily given the Congress ammunition to attack them.
With Zilla Parishad and Panchayat elections approaching in Karnataka, the BJP leadership is eager to ensure internal unity and present a strong front to voters.
YATNAL’s CONCERNS
Yatnal has vehemently opposed Vijayendra’s appointment as the state party chief, saying it promotes dynastic politics and that the position was gained through blackmail. In his defence, Yatnal stated that he has not spoken ill of the party or any BJP leader. “I have expressed my concern over a family taking control of the party and disregarding party loyalists,” said Yatnal, who was recently served two show-cause notices by the BJP central leadership.
The former Union minister also expressed concern over those who were hearing his case and urged the party leadership to send a neutral leader from Delhi to the state to meet the leaders individually and elicit their opinions.
“The leader who comes to Karnataka to resolve this issue should be someone who considers the party as their own mother. Most leaders also feel that the party should come out of cooperative (adjustment) politics, remove corrupt leaders, and free itself from the clutches of a single family. We need to strengthen the Hindutva ideology in the party,” he said.
THE INFIGHTING
Speaking to News18 on the condition of anonymity, several BJP leaders emphasised the importance of resolving this infighting. They warned that if the Yatnal-Yediyurappa dispute isn’t addressed, the party could face another setback, similar to the recent bypolls where the BJP expected to win at least two of the three seats that went to polls. The bypolls were held in Shiggaon, Channapatna, and Sandur. The BJP had hoped to secure Shiggaon, the home constituency of former CM Basavaraj Bommai, where his son Bharat Bommai contested, as well as Channapatna, from where Union minister and NDA ally H.D. Kumaraswamy’s son, Nikhil, contested.
“This needs to be addressed immediately,” said a senior BJP leader from the Kalyana Karnataka region. “The party’s strength lies in leadership, strategy, and communication. However, every time we take a step to strengthen our position as a strong opposition by holding Congress accountable for its misrule, mismanagement, and poor governance, the infighting blunts those efforts,” the leader added.
Another leader highlighted that personal egos and public confrontations within the party are counterproductive. “A party must function as a unified team under its leadership. Members are free to voice their opinions and debate internally, but it should never be done in a way that harms the party’s image or legacy,” they said.
THE ROOT CAUSE
Yatnal, a former union minister in the Vajpayee government, has always been a contentious figure. Despite his criticisms of the BJP’s state leadership and the Yediyurappa family, he was chosen as one of the party’s key campaigners in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections. Yatnal has defended his stance, claiming his comments are not anti-party but aimed at addressing issues such as dynastic politics.
The conflict between Yatnal and Yediyurappa intensified after Vijayendra’s appointment as state BJP president. Yatnal accused Yediyurappa of using undue influence to secure the position for his son. He also alleged that the Yediyurappa family’s dominance in the party fosters corruption and tacit understandings with Congress in certain constituencies.
The strained relationship between Yatnal and Yediyurappa dates back to 2019, when Yediyurappa excluded him from his cabinet, a decision later repeated by Basavaraj Bommai. These exclusions have fuelled Yatnal’s discontent.
Yatnal’s criticism has found support among other BJP leaders, including Arvind Limbavali, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Pratap Simha, Kumar Bangarappa, G.M. Siddeshwara, Anna Saheb Jolle, and B.P. Harish.
Ramesh Jarkiholi, a congressman who jumped ship to the BJP along with 18 others in 2019, openly criticised Vijayendra, calling him inexperienced and unfit to lead the state BJP.
“There is a reason why such rebellion happens,” cautioned another senior BJP leader. “Those who claim they are loyal to the party have worked against its interests in the past. They now hold positions of power within the BJP and have even worked to ensure the defeat of BJP candidates. Suddenly, they claim they are rebuilding the party. Such double standards are unacceptable,” the leader added.
Another leader stated that many senior BJP members felt sidelined after working tirelessly to build the party in Karnataka alongside Yediyurappa. “Once the party came to power, these loyal leaders were either ignored or denied tickets. This is a complex issue, but it must be addressed,” the leader said.
The party’s poor performance in the recent bypolls has further highlighted the internal discord. Yediyurappa described the losses as a collective setback for the BJP and urged members to work together to address the issues. Despite these challenges, Yediyurappa downplayed the tensions, expressing confidence that discussions with Yatnal could resolve the matter.
Adding to the internal strife, Yatnal has launched a separate campaign on Waqf-related issues, diverging from the party’s official stance. This has created confusion among the cadre, though Yatnal claims the leadership appreciates his work on the issue.
