BJP workers in turmoil over State leadership’s ‘lack of drive’ to win elections, says Pratap Simha

Days after accusing the party leadership of “adjustment politics” with the Congress, Mysuru MP Pratap Simha has said that leaders at the helm of affairs in the State did not display the drive to win the Assembly elections.

Days after accusing the party leadership of “adjustment politics” with the Congress, Mysuru MP Pratap Simha has said that leaders at the helm of affairs in the State did not display the drive to win the Assembly elections.

Mr. Simha told media persons here on Friday that his reference to “adjustment politics” was an expression of anguish and turmoil of the party workers.

He said that in 2018, there was a perception among party workers that had they worked harder, the BJP — which won 104 seats then — could have formed the government on its own, and blamed themselves for the outcome.

“B.S. Yediyurappa sensed this agony of the party workers and led from the front again and took it upon himself to bring the party to power. A BJP government was installed in the State in 2019. He single-handedly addressed the flood situation as the Cabinet had not yet been constituted and later battled COVID-19 before relinquishing power,” said Mr. Simha.

But in 2023 there was a perception among the workers that the leadership was being apathetic towards them. Had the leaders displayed the same kind of determination as Mr. Yediyurappa, the BJP would not have been in this situation in Karnataka today, Mr. Simha added.

Without naming anyone, Mr. Simha said those who assumed power subsequently did not reciprocate to the demands of BJP workers for stronger action against the accused in the killing of party workers, including Harsha and Praveen Nettaru, or tabling the Justice Kemapanna Commission report on the Arkavathy Layout scam on the denotification of land. “It is this agony of the workers to which I have given my voice,” said Mr. Simha.

Refuting suggestions that the BJP central leadership appeared to be weak if it approved of such “adjustment politics”, Mr. Simha said despite the election defeat the party’s vote share was 36% and intact.