Ready to talk but with riders: KS Eshwarappa

Bengaluru: Apparently encouraged by the support he claims to have received from the backward communities and a section of his party and RSS leaders, senior BJP leader, K.S.Eshwarappa has offered to hold conditional "peace talks" with  state party president, B.S. Yeddyurappa should the latter be interested in holding them.

In an informal chat with reporters here on Tuesday, Mr. Eshwarappa said he was ready for a dialogue with Mr. Yeddyurappa provided he agreed to revise the state , district and taluk  office bearers' list and  accommodate loyal workers in the party organization. Also, he made it clear, he would not give up his Sangolli Rayanna Brigade (SRB) and expected the party president to unequivocally accept its presence.

"There is no question of the SRB winding up its activities as it will help the BJP  come to power in the 2018 elections. I have been stunned by the support it has received from backward class people and other sections of society. When we started the SRB, I would not have thought to take it forward, but after seeing the rousing support it has received from the public, there is no question of letting it die, " he  said, adding, " I have explained the motive behind the formation of SRB to BJP national president,  Amit Shah and he has not instructed me to stop its activities. Senior parivar leaders have also appreciated the SRB after the grand success of our programme whihc was organised at Koppal."

The BJP leader said  if peace talks between him and Mr Yeddyurappa did not materialise, Mr Amit Shah would come to the state after the five state assembly elections are held to "set right organisational matters."  "During my meeting with him recently, the party national president has assured me that he will come to Bengaluru and set right the organisational issues," he claimed.

While some party insiders believe that Mr. Eshwarappa's tough posturing and setting of conditions  to arrive at a truce is based on the support he has been gaining from some BJP seniors and Sangh leaders, others say  Mr. Yeddyurappa 's softening stand on the SRB following the backward class support it has been getting , has also  emboldened him.  

Moreover, SRB office bearers assert that the Kuruba community is bound to look to Mr Eshwarappa for leadership once the Siddaramaiah government bows out in 2018 ahead of the Assembly polls.

Feud worsens, loyalists clash in Shivamogga

The internal conflicts in the district BJP unit came to the fore on Tuesday when party workers  clashed over the differences of opinion between state BJP President B.S. Yeddyurappa and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council K.S.Eshwarappa with regard to the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade controversy.

The members of the two factions favouring Mr Yeddyurappa and Mr Eshwarappa had a scuffle when supporters of Mr Yeddyurappa led by  K.P. Purushottam, Ballekere Santosh, Slum Morcha leader B.Channbasappa and M.Lakshman Rao Pawar submitted a memorandum to the District BJP President S. Rudre Gowda demanding disciplinary action against former district unit presidents  Girish Patel,  S. Dattatri and Mr.S.N.Channabasappa,  for allegedly showing disrespect to Rudre Gowda and Mr Yeddyurappa during a press conference which was held on Monday.

The BJP office  witnessed an unhealthy atmosphere due to the heated arguments and differences among party workers.

It is also said that a party worker said to be part of  the Eshwarappa camp, had allegedly thrashed a worker in the Yeddyurappa camp.

With the situation going out of control the district BJP leaders with the help of the police pacified the workers of both factions and restored peace.