BJP observers hold talks with Karnataka party leaders to fill key posts

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde, deputed as the central observers for Karnataka to select the Leader of the Opposition in both Houses of the state legislature, discussed the issue with more than 100 leaders and left for New Delhi on Tuesday night.

There is suspense over face of the party in both Houses for the last 52 days since the BJP lost the Assembly election on May 13. The central observers held one-to-one meetings with party senior leaders, MLAs and MLCs to take stock of the situation. 

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Briefing the media, the party general secretary and MLC N Ravi Kumar said that the observers will give their report to the leaders and they will take a final call on the names for three positions - the party’s state president had Leaders of Opposition in both Houses. 

Replying to a question, Kumar cryptically stated that names for all three positions will be known to the state in a day or two. “I think they may announce at least the Leader of the Opposition’s first and then president too,” he said.

After meeting the observers, former BDA chairman S R Vishwanath told reporters that he took an appointment with the observers and they sought two names each for posts which he gave.

Another senior leader told reporters on the condition of anonymity that some leaders did not give names but sought the observers to give equal representation to castes and regions before finalising names.

The names of Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal are doing rounds for the post of the party’s state unite president while Basavaraj Bommai and V Sunil Kumar’s names have prominently figured for the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. Similarly, the names of Kota Srinivas Poojary and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy are being discussed for the opposition leader’s post in the Legislative Council.

After the consultations with the leaders and legislators, Mandaviya and Tavade met veteran B S Yediyurappa before leaving for Delhi.