Cracks in BJP cadres shocks state leadership

Mandya: This Vokkaliga belt in the old Mysuru region gave a scare to the BJP's top bosses when posters of state revenue minister R Ashok blaring 'boycott' and 'go back Ashok' slogans against the BJP's Vokkaliga face.

These posters were seen on the main thoroughfares of VV Road and Subhas road of the city on Thursday morning. The posters were pasted in different places in the city in protest of making R Ashok in charge of the Mandya district BJP in lieu of the MLA and BJP leader K Gopalaiah.

Speaking to Hans India Siddaramiah the BJP leader stated that "Gopalaiah was doing a good job in mobilising the cadres and contributing to the growth of the party in the Vokkaliga-dominated constituency and there was no need for Ashok to step in at this point in time. The cadres alleged that R Ashok has been mandated by the party to forge an alliance with the JDS in event of not winning adequate seats in the assembly elections in 2023 elections.

Gopalaiah also resented the move of the party in a subtle way. Ashok however, calmly reacted to the opposition shown through the posters stating that "It was the handy work of our opposition mainly Congress party which was now fearful of losing their hold in the old Mysuru region following the BJP making definite inroads into the poll scene". But the political pundits in this assembly constituency felt that this could be a major embarrassment to the BJP after the bigwigs in the party had visited Mandya and made their intentions clear about upping the ante against JDS and Congress parties.