I never intended to boycott Mysuru BJP meet, says KS Eshwarappa

Bengaluru: In a come-down of sorts, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader  K.S. Eshwarappa, who has been giving voice to the disgruntled elements in the party, declared here on Friday that he would attend the two-day state BJP executive meeting that begins in Mysuru on Saturday.

Talking to reporters at the Vidhana Soudha,  he claimed he had never intended to boycott it. “ As a loyal soldier of the party I will attend the meeting,” he said, also revealing that the training programme of his controversial outfit, Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, scheduled to be held in Raichur on May 7 and 8, had been postponed and the next date had not been set as yet.

Going by party sources, Mr Eshwarappa changed his mind on staying away from the Mysuru meeting after he was warned by party general secretary, Muralidhar Rao that he  would invite disciplinary action otherwise. Mr Rao reportedly told him on the telephone that “'enough was enough” and advised him to discuss whatever grouses he had in a party forum. According to party insiders, the high command which had given Mr Eshwarappa a long rope, was upset that he had skipped the meeting with Mr Rao when he was in Bengaluru for two days to meet all state leaders and discuss the discontent in the ranks.

The senior leader had admitted to staying away because two of his supporters were sacked from party posts. But his attitude is allegedly not going down well with party national president, Amit Shah, who plans to come to Bengaluru late May to sort out the problems between him and state party chief, B S Yeddyurappa.  If the two failed to bury their hatchet even then,  the party could take a “harsh decision”, claim sources. As of now,  Mr Yeddyurappa has reportedly been instructed not to make any move to remove Mr Eshwarappa from the post of opposition leader in the legislative council and stir up matters further.