BJP Gen Secy B L Santhosh hints at overhaul in Karnataka unit

Mysuru: BJP national general secretary B L Santhosh on Sunday indicated that a major overhaul in the party’s Karnataka unit is on the cards with just a year left for the state assembly elections.

The indications also pointed to the local body elections, which are round the corner in some parts of the state.

“During the Corporation election in Delhi, we decided not to give tickets to any sitting corporators. In the Gujarat civic election, the two-time corporators were given ‘Saamoohika Nivrutti’ (mass retirement). It was also decided not to give tickets to their friend circles as well,” Santhosh, who is in charge of the BJP organization, said.

Addressing the party workers here, Santhosh said now the whole lot is of BJP’s workers, who used to sit in the last bench and have been brought to the first bench.

In some parties those who are on the backbench remain in the back forever, Santhosh said adding the saffron party has exhibited the courage and strength to make corrections.

When Bhupendra Patel replaced Vijay Rupani as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the entire cabinet was changed to bring ‘novelty’, the BJP leader explained.

Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who is known for his controversial statements and had been up in arms against the ‘dynastic politics’ of B S Yediyurappa when he was the Chief Minister, backed Santhosh.

“What’s happening now is some leader’s family has at least four to five people donning the political jacket. It’s being witnessed in Karnataka. That trend has to end because many party workers strive and they should be given a chance,” Yatnal told reporters in Vijayapura.

According to him, the BJP’s core philosophy is against dynasty politics.

Noting that the founding principle of the BJP was ‘one man, one post’, Yatnal said, ”National president cannot be the prime minister or vice versa. Dynastic politics has spread in political parties like AIDS. I welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stand on this issue and Santhosh’s statement to eradicate dynastic politics.”.

To a query on the possibility of change in guard, the BJP MLA said it is left to the BJP central leadership.

Citing examples of Jharkhand and Gujarat where the leadership change was swiftly executed, Yatnal said the party leadership is capable of doing it.