New Karnataka BJP President and Opposition leader in firefighting mode to douse dissent
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Thursday said he is trying to win the trust of everyone and address 'minor issues' amongst some leaders, amid indications that his appointment to the post did not go down well with a section of the party.
His statement came after former Ministers V Somanna and Aravind Limbavali and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal made no secret of their displeasure over the choice of Vijayendra as the state unit chief and Ashoka as the Leader of Opposition in the assembly.
The BJP made the two appointments earlier this month, six months after the Assembly elections in which it was routed.
Vijayendra, son of BJP veteran B S Yediyurappa, today met MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, who is also reportedly sulking, at the latter's residence and held talks.
Addressing reporters later, Vijayendra said he will take the statement of the Gokak MLA seriously. "There are small issues, which I discussed with him in a manner to make him content. I hope he was happy with the discussion".
He said he will not take the statements of the party leaders "negatively" and, as state President, will take everyone into confidence.
The BJP chief said Jarkiholi told him to work together to win maximum seats for BJP in the next Lok Sabha elections.
Jarkiholi said his aim is to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for which he will work with a missionary zeal to strengthen the party and instill enthusiasm in the activists.
"I will do my duty by winning 28 out of 28 seats (in Karnataka) in the Lok Sabha elections," Vijayendra asserted.
Jarkiholi told reporters that the lone aim is to win maximum seats for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year as his "dissatisfaction is an old issue".
Meanwhile, former Housing Minister V Somanna said he will reveal his "future course of action" after December.
Amid some speculations that he is set to join Congress, he said, "Seniors have told me not to speak up till December 6".
After losing the Assembly election from two Constituencies including Varuna in Mysuru where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah won, Somanna was aspiring for the state president's post.
Apparently dejected after he was overlooked, he said, "Politics is not a drama company and not restricted to a family or secret pacts."
He also ruled out any attempts being made by Yediyurappa to "pacify" him.
Meanwhile Yediyurappa told reporters that he will meet Somanna.
"I will meet Somanna and will take him along. He is a good organiser. We will use him to strengthen our party," the BJP stalwart said.
Striking a discordant note, Limbavali told media on Wednesday in Belagavi that some people rise due to "adjustment".
"This is an era of adjustment-- be it opposition leader or the party state president," he added.
Reacting to apparent dissent within a section of the party over the appointments, Ashoka said in a week things will be set right.
"Somanna is a senior leader. Our seniors in the party are talking to him. Today only our party state president met Ramesh Jarkiholi at his residence. One after another things are getting cleared in a week," Ashoka said.
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Busy making reels: Kanhaiya Kumar stokes row with remark on Fadnavis's wife
Nagpur, Nov 14: Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Thursday took a personal jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the latter's recent comment about countering "vote jihad' with "vote dharmyudh".
Is it that common people will fight this "dharmyudh" while children of leaders will study abroad far away from all this, Kumar asked.
"Or will it happen that we will fight to protect 'dharma' while the deputy CM's wife makes Instagram reels," he said addressing a rally for the Congress in Nagpur South West seat.
If "dharma" needs to be protected, then everyone will do it together, Kumar added.
In a rally recently, Fadnavis had said "vote jihad" took place in the Lok Sabha polls and members of a particular community ensured BJP did not get their votes. He claimed the Mahayuti lost the Dhule Lok Sabha seat due to this voting pattern in Malegaon.
Attacking Fadnavis, the former student activist asked why the BJP leader had a problem with sharing the CM's tenure with Uddhav Thackeray when he went on to be CM Eknath Shinde's deputy.
"Why did you split Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena? If you believed the NCP was corrupt, why did you induct its faction into the Mahayuti? This is because Shinde is not CM but chowkidar of corrupt Gujarati businessman," Kumar said in a swipe at the BJP-led ruling alliance.
In Nagpur South West, Congress' Prafulla Gudhade Patil is pitted against Fadnavis.
