BS Yediyurappa can’t function with same spirit: BJP MLC

AH Vishwanath was among the 18 legislators who switched allegiance from the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance to the BJP in 2019, causing the downfall of the HD Kumaraswamy government.

Fissures within the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Karnataka unit appeared to have widened on Thursday with party MLC AH Vishwanath saying chief minister BS Yediyurappa is too old and “cannot function with the same spirit as before”.

“Vishwanath’s statement came a day after Singh and BJP’s state leadership had said that nobody in the party should air grievances against chief minister BS Yediyurappa or the government. (ANI)

“Today it’s not the question on Yediyurappa. It is about how the government is functioning. What people are talking about and what action the high command should take. It’s not grumbling against anybody but it’s the actual and factual of Karnataka’s political situation. I have explained in depth to the general secretary,” said Vishwanath after meeting BJP national general secretary and state in-charge, Arun Singh, who is in Bengaluru to gauge the extent of the unrest within state unit.

Vishwanath was among the 18 legislators who switched allegiance from the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance to the BJP in 2019, causing the downfall of the HD Kumaraswamy government.

He has proposed the names of Murugesh Nirani, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and Arvind Bellad as chief minister.

Vishwanath’s statement came a day after Singh and BJP’s state leadership had said that nobody in the party should air grievances against the CM or the government.

“I was told about Vishwanath’s statement, but he is someone who is new in the party and is not aware of its ideology or functioning,” said BJP national general secretary and state in-charge, Arun Singh.

MP Renukacharya, MLA from Honalli and Yediyurappa’s political secretary and staunch loyalist, countered Vishwanath, saying his words have “no worth” and that he had “cheated” the JD(S) and the Congress before.