BJP rebels to meet in Delhi, vow to oust Vijayendra

Bengaluru: Discord continued to simmer in the state unit of BJP with the faction led by former Union minister and senior MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal insisting that it will not back down in its "do or die" fight to have BY Vijayendra removed as state president of the party.The latest flashpoint has been the appointment of 23 presidents to district units of the party. The rebels met at the residence of former minister Kumar Bangarappa in Bengaluru on Friday to discuss strategy. Speaking for the group, Yatnal said they will work to reverse the appointments of district presidents and that he has already written to BJP national president JP Nadda on the issue."In the complaint, we explained how Vijayendra created a select group and got them appointed as presidents of district units with the intention of winning the election to select the state president," he said.Bangarappa said that he and others who participated in Friday's meeting are loyal workers of the party, and that they will follow the diktats of the party high command. However, he insisted that Vijayendra staying as president is untenable and that they will not allow him to be re-elected state president."We, along with others who, although they maintained silence, supported us, will meet in Delhi on Feb 2 or 3. We will finalise our move there and inform the party high command of our decision, if necessary," Bangarappa said.Earlier, Yatnal said former ministers Ramesh Jarkiholi, Bangarappa, former MP GM Siddeshwar, and MLAs BP Harish and Holalkere Chandrappa among others, had met to discuss the situation in the party. He insisted that the "era of saying BJP cannot exist without BS Yediyurappa [former CM and Vijayendra's father] is over".He said although some claim BJP won't survive in Karnataka without Yediyurappa, BJP will endure regardless of whether Yediyurappa or he himself stays or leaves, because it is a party of workers.Vijayendra, who was in Kalaburagi, refused to comment on the meeting and said he will speak next week on the rebellion.
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