Bengaluru: Selection of M Gautam Kumar Jain as the new mayor of the BBMP has now led to an internal turmoil in the BJP. If sources are to be believed then both Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and party strongman from the city R Ashok are upset with his selection as the party candidate. Soon, news of the two contemplating to float their own party has started making rounds.
According to the BJP insiders, Jain was the choice of BL Santosh, party’s national organizing secretary. He wanted to send a strong message to both BSY and R Ashok that they can’t make any decisions independently henceforth. “When the entire city is divided over Hindi imposition, Santosh made a mockery of the Kannada activists by imposing a non-Kannadiga candidate. His real target was BSY and Ashok,” said a BJP leader from the city.
According to the sources, immediately after Jain was selected as the new mayor, CM BSY announced a tour of Lingayat dominated districts of the state. “His real intention is to improve his image and grip on the party ranks. He is likely to return to the city,” he said.
“R Ashok is also now thinking of an alternative. He has friends in both the Congress and the JDS. It is said that the Congress has already sent him an invite. He will be the new face for the Congress in the city where the party has no familiar mass leader,” he explained.
“Santosh’s goal is to get Karnataka CM’s post. The popular perception among the party leaders is that to achieve his goal, he is creating puppets like Savadi, Ashwatta Narayana, Karajol etc,” he concluded
