Chinthan-manthan leaves BSY fuming

BANGALORE: BJP national president Nitin Gadkari on Friday drove home the point that those who respect the party’s principles will be suitably rewarded. The message was, of course, for former CM B S Yeddyurappa, who has been on a mission to spring back into the thick of political action.
Citing the examples of party leaders Deendayal Upadhyaya, Shyama Prasad Mookerje, A B Vajpayee and L K Advani, the BJP president said they were committed to the party’s principles, not individual interests.Gadkari said, “A cadre loses everything if the leader tries to damage the party. I respect those who respect the party’s principles, failing which you will never get anything.”
The BJP leadership also frustrated the plans of Yeddyurappa’s followers to embarrass the party by boycotting the baithak after Gadkari’s address by cutting short the two-day event into a three-hour affair. The event was called off after Gadkari addressed the delegates. Gadkari said he would visit Karnataka after the Uttar Pradesh elections to take part in the next chintan-manthan baithak when he would stay over for a couple of days.
Gadkari plunged into parleys from the minute he arrived in Bangalore late Thursday night. Eshwarappa and Gowda met Gadkari, briefing him about the state of affairs in the party. The BJP chief is said to have assured the duo that he would set the record straight. Eshwarappa and Gowda told Gadkari that they would abide by whatever decisions the leadership made.