The warring groups in Karnataka BJP who are openly making bid to overthrow Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda are waiting for BJP national president Nitin Gadkari’s two-day visit on February 24 and 25 to Bangalore to resolve the issue. Gadkari who is expected to take part in chintan manthan, a meeting to teach party MLAs morality and rejuvenate party, especially after the portgate episode, might have to face some embarrassing moments.

The party chief will also have to face former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa who is making an open bid to come back to power, and his supporters who are openly campaigning for his rehabilitation. As a precursor to the whole drama, Yeddyurappa has called a meeting of the MLAs who are loyal to him and all his supporters to work out a strategy on Thursday.

It is seen as a decisive battle by the former Chief Minister, who is using his weapons one after the other. Yeddyurappa who seems panicked by his detractors’ (Sadananda and KS Eshwarappa) ploy to belittle him in the eyes of his Lingayat community, is expected to take a crucial decision. It was evident when Yeddyurappa directly accused his party men of trying to divide Lingayats for their gains. “A conspiracy is being hatched to divide Lingayats. Several Swamijis have confirmed this to me. Also, one can make out this by the statements of a few leaders. But it is impossible to divide the community,” the former CM said without naming anyone.

An MLA on condition of anonymity told The Pioneer that “We are all going to attend the meeting on Thursday. Like me many will attend the meeting. But it is in no way any indication of our support for a change.”

Meanwhile, State party president KS Eshwarappa has ruled out any leadership change in the State. Though Yeddyurappa has given enough hints about his next move to the MLAs, whom he had personally invited for the meeting, the final decision, however, depends on the numbers. Prior to the MLAs’ meeting, Yeddyurappa has also convened a meeting of prominent leaders of backward classes on February 22. According to a party insider, Yeddyurappa has sought the cooperation of all BJP MLAs from Bangalore.

Even though knives are out within the warring groups in the party, many feel it was only a pressure tactics by the former Chief Minister. A party source told The Pioneer that the party was not going to yield to his pressure to make any changes. “Even if he parades his MLAs in front of Gadkari, the BJP is not in a position to accept him as he is facing not one but many cases which are going to be suicidal for the party,” said a source.

Meanwhile, in a strategic move Yeddyurappa is making all efforts to garner the support of his Lingayat community and planning to project another Lingayat leader and senior Minister Jagadish Shettar as a compromise candidate to replace Sadananda Gowda.

A close aide of Yeddyurappa told The Pioneer that the BSY camp’s strategy was to push for his reinstatement by garnering the support of at least 50 party MLAs, a source said that he has now only 20 MLAs to support him. “Their second option would be to push for Jagadish Shettar as CM, which would be difficult for the BJP high command to turn down as the demand comes from the party’s biggest vote bank, the Lingayats,” asserts a close aide of Yeddyurappa.

Meanwhile, Sadananda Gowda expressed confidence of putting an end to the bickering in the ruling BJP with guidance from the party high command. Gowda said he had faced bigger challenges and voiced optimism on resolving the ongoing internal strife that has overshadowed the Government.