BENGALURU: Why should one of the BJP’s highest decision-making body in Karnataka, the core committee, spend its precious time discussing indiscipline when the state party unit faces a host of political and organisational challenges?
That question is increasingly echoing not just within party circles, but across BJP supporters’ WhatsApp groups and social media platforms after Sunday’s core committee meeting reportedly devoted considerable attention to the growing problem of indiscipline in the party state unit. The debate opened a deeper and more uncomfortable question: Is Karnataka BJP battling an invisible internal indiscipline that the public sees only through periodic outbursts against the state leadership?
But senior BJP insiders said these repeated episodes are not isolated emotional reactions, but part of a larger and carefully orchestrated power struggle. “They are not organic outbursts, but are manufactured outbursts,” claimed a highly-placed BJP source. “The main manufacturer sits in Delhi and occupies such an influential position in the national organisation that no one in the state dares even mention his name, let alone initiate action,” he said.
The first act of indiscipline came when slogans of “Go Back Muralidhar” were raised against former state in-charge general secretary Muralidhar Rao. More recently, BJP spokesperson MG Mahesh publicly attacked the state’s organisational leadership after being overlooked for the MLC polls, while another senior leader also aired his grievances in public.
“Those who indulge in indiscipline belong to the same power centre. Whenever appointments or nominations go against that group, the criticism begins,” a source said. The latest flashpoint is the selection of Raghu Kautilya for the MLC berth. Sources say the state leadership backed Kautilya, an OBC leader who allegedly suffered significant financial losses during previous elections, as organisational compensation.
The decision reportedly disappointed MG Mahesh, who is also an OBC leader, triggering his criticism. Earlier, such public outbursts surfaced when former state in-charge Arun Singh backed the leadership that eventually saw BS Yediyurappa emerge as CM after becoming state BJP president.
Likewise, the state unit’s repeated recommendation of former MLA Nirmal K Surana was also viewed as a competition between factions by insiders. Party workers describe the state BJP as functioning under two distinct power centres –one led by Yediyurappa and state president BY Vijayendra, and another allegedly directed from Delhi by the senior organisational heavyweight.
“The difference is that one group fights internally, but accepts decisions. The other fights through public outbursts that damage the party,” remarked one BJP insider.
Some leaders believe that the Delhi strategist enjoys extraordinary protection because of his background. That has made the organisation reluctant to question his role despite repeated accusations from within the party.