Mysuru: Speculations and rumours were flying thick and fast as the posse of media persons, both print and television, were made to stand outside the Rajendra Kalamandira, on the second and concluding day of the State BJP Executive Committee meeting, here this morning.

A party which swept to power at the Centre with a thumping majority and which has used the social and visual media to maximum benefit was found wanting, creating confusion, by keeping the media out of bounds.

According to media persons, all that they were expecting from the BJP leaders was to be let inside like they had done yesterday instead of being asked to stand outside the gate.

The pressure on the media was so much that a few television channels started airing whatever they could get in bits and pieces. For instance, the photo of Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council K.S. Eshwarappa  speaking at the meeting was circulated via WhatsApp to a few media persons and this was picked up by the anchors of a few channels who started narrating about how Eshwarappa was talking about the drought in Karnataka and how the Congress party was inept in handling it.

A few of the loyal party workers who were also not allowed inside were heard saying, “If only the two leaders B.S. Yeddyurappa and K.S. Eshwarappa had come together in front of the media this morning, shook hands and said that all was well in the party and all differences had been buried, it would have been enough. Instead, they are creating confusion in the minds of the people.”

A disgruntled lady party worker was so upset at not being allowed inside left in a huff hiring an autorickshaw and her parting shot was, “What is the use of people like us working hard for the party when they completely ignore us.”

Many of the leaders were seen arriving even at 11.30 am even though the meeting had begun by 10 am. When former Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu came, the television crew surrounded him and forced him to give a byte. Top-end cars were a common sight and one leader came in a Mercedes Benz.

Malavika Avinash reacts

Speaking to Star of Mysore, party spokesperson and actress Malavika Avinash said that since her name was doing the rounds in Mysuru, the other contenders for the seat in K.R. constituency were upset and they did not even look at her when she came yesterday to attend the meeting.

“I just do not understand why this sudden animosity towards me when the same people were wooing me earlier by inviting me to the functions they were organising. All they could gracefully do is shake hands and say let the better candidate be chosen,” she said.

Rift continues?

The rift between the two State leaders Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa which was out in the open and for which all efforts are going on to bring them together, seemed to be continuing even on the second day of the meeting.

An insider in the party told Star of Mysore that if the issue had not been resolved, then Eshwarappa would not have attended the meeting or would not have stopped the Sangolli Rayanna Brigade meeting that was to take place tomorrow (May 8).

Not too much should be read into them not shaking hands or looking away from one another as whatever happens inside the party will not come out in the open and what the media sometimes sees and projects is not the truth, asserted the source indicating that the interest of the party is more important than the individual and since BJP is  a party with the interest of the nation more than the individual, such differences will be ironed out very shortly.