BJP leaders fail to decide on K'taka unit chief

Bangalore, Sept 29: The

rulers, who are currently in Haryana to attend the national executive council meeting, failed to arrive at a consensus over the appointment of a new president of the

unit of the party on Friday.

Sources said the BJP leadership wanted to discuss the issue more, both at meetings in New Delhi and Bangalore, before arriving at a conclusion. It is learnt that party general secretary Arun Jaitley would come down to Bangalore on Oct 2 to hold more talks on the matter.

Party sources said Jaitley was coming to Bangalore for some other purpose but since the party's central leadership wanted to hold talks on appointing the state unit chief, it was decided that Jaitley would use the occasion also to settle the problem.

According to one report, the party was trying to choose between Dharwad MP Prahlad Joshi and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel for the post.

Appointing the state BJP chief in Karnataka has become a complex problem due to various reasons. The top leadership has to ensure a balance between political representation of various regions and communities besides taming the rebel, BS Yeddyurappa, who has created another ruckus after learning that the party was not considering to offer him the top post. The task becomes all the more arduous ahead of the assembly elections due next year.

The state BJP has been plagued by serious infighting which saw the third minister assuming office in four years. Any new crisis will only harm the party's chances in the elections and no one other than the BJP knows it better.

The party initiated the process of appointing a new state chief after the incumbent KS Eshwarappa joined the ministry. According to party norms, a single member can not hold two prominent posts at the same time.

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