Bangarappa has a ‘bombshell’ for BJP

This cryptic comment was accompanied with a salvo of potshots at the BJP. Bangarappa appeared emotional, but what he said was calculated.

Switching to damage control mode, BJP leaders like D.H. Shankaramurthy sought to placate him by initiating a dialogue. But, of course, the party was in a fix — leader of the Opposition Yediurappa made himself unavailable for comment.

What prompted Bangarappa to make such comments? What is he up to?

When Bangarappa joined the BJP, he was told in no uncertain terms that he should keep off state politics. In return, the BJP promised him a Lok Sabha seat and a ministerial berth. Given this context, his dissatisfaction over the state president’s election is meaningless, a BJP leader from Bangalore said over the telephone. Leaders cannot act independently within the BJP, he said.

But despite the pre-poll understanding, Bangarappa tried to make his son an MLC and Govindaraj the state general secretary while he himself had aspirations of becoming the state party president. The BJP refused to play ball. The swift reversals in state politics must have tempted Bangarappa to think of an alternative. Also, the hard core Sanghaite coterie surrounding him, made him believe that he was a fitting alternative to Yediurappa and Ananthakumar. Even as Krishna was appointed Governor of Maharashtra, Bangarappa could well have thought that the decks were now clear for him to return to the Congress. But with the Congress high command keen on Rajashekharamurthy for state president, Bangarappa stands little chance here.

Also, his coterie may have advised him that he could break with the BJP and form his own political group. But given the fact that he is a veteran and hence politically astute, he should know these men would use him as a pawn in their game of one-upmanship.