Belagavi: Close on the heels of senior BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa pulling off a show of strength at the Haveri convention of his Sangolli Rayana Brigade, state BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa announced in Belagavi on Monday that the party would hold mega conventions of scheduled castes and tribes and OBCs.
The Lingayat strongman, who has been critical of SRB, which he reportedly sees as a threat to his leadership, said the party conventions would be inaugurated by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi himself and would see lakhs of people in attendance.
While dismissing any threat to Mr Yeddyurappa, Mr Eshwarappa has claimed his Sangolli Rayanna Brigade is only meant to garner support for the party among backward classes. But in a move that clearly aims to checkmate him , the BJP chief announced at the inauguration of the party’s state executive committee meeting that an SC/ST convention would be held on October 23 in Lingasguru and an OBC convention in Bengaluru on November 27.
Interestingly, Mr Eshwarappa was not present at the meeting which was inaugurated by Union Minister of Commerce Nirmala Sitaraman. While briefing reporters on the first day's discussions, party leader Shobha Karandlaje refused to comment when asked if Yeddyurappa loyalists supported the SRB.
She said the party had decided to appeal to the government to file another petition in the Supreme Court demanding the formation of an expert committee made up of neutral members to survey the areas in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka dependent on Cauvery water.
