Sidelined by BSY, Eshwarappa resumes Rayanna brigade activities

Bengaluru, Nov 21: Senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa on Sunday revived the Sangolli Rayanna brigade, an apolitical forum for organising backward classes and Dalits, despite stiff opposition from BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa.

Eshwarappa held a meeting with the office-bearers of the Rayanna brigade from Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts at the Legislators' Home and decided to organise an oath-taking ceremony for the brigade members at Nandgadh in Belagavi on December 6. Seers of various mutts and the brigade members from all the Assembly constituencies in the state are scheduled to take part in the event.

Yeddyurappa had complained to the BJP central leaders against Eshwarappa for organising Rayanna brigade and projecting himself as a leader of backward classes. The brigade had suspended all its activities after the intervention of BJP central leaders recently. Eshwarappa had even dropped his plan to organise a rally of the brigade in Tumakuru. But, now Eshwarappa is learnt to be upset with Yeddyurappa for neglecting him in the party. Yeddyurappa, it is said, has not involved Eshwarappa in organising the BJP's backward classes' mega convention in Bengaluru on November 27.

Speaking at the brigade's office-bearers' meeting, Eshwarappa openly said he was upset with party leaders taking unilateral decisions. Rayanna brigade will continue holding conventions across the state. The brigade is striving for the welfare of backward classes and Dalits. It has got tremendous response from people in North Karnataka, he added.

Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa held a meeting with the party leaders from Bengaluru to discuss preparations for organising the backward classes' convention on November 27.