The BJP on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to former minister MP Renukacharya after he criticised the party's leadership and even called for state president Nalin Kumar Kateel's resignation for the Assembly poll debacle.
"In spite of being told enough times, you have repeatedly given statements in the press against state and national leaders, causing embarrassment to the party. This has been viewed seriously," BJP disciplinary committee president Lingaraj Patil said in the notice to Renukacharya, asking him to submit a written explanation within one week.
Earlier in the day, Renukacharya targeted party leaders and called for introspection. He joins a growing list of BJP leaders who are coming out in the open to criticise their own colleagues.
"After the election debacle, the state president should have resigned taking moral responsiblity. Some days ago there was news that he resigned, and within an hour, a statement came denying it. What's happening?" the former Honnali MLA said.
Renukacharya, a loyalist of BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa, told reporters that the morale of the party workers should be restored ahead of polls to taluk and zilla panchayats. "I don't know whether there's a soul in some people to introspect," he said.
Without taking names, Renukacharya asked some leaders to shed their "dictatorial" attitude. When pressed to take names, Renukacharya said he would do so when the situation arises.
According to Renukacharya, leaders with "no practical knowledge who hadn't won even a gram panchayat election" were guiding party leaders during the Assembly. "Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai was guiding us," he said. "Is Annamalai a big hero? He came here and was striking a pose...Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai had to listen to someone who used to salute them," Renukacharya charged, referring to Annamalai's IPS career.
Renukacharya also said that party leaders were "sleeping" when Congress was announcing its guarantees. "The party manifesto came very late and didn't even even reach people," he said, adding that candidates in some seats were announced at the last moment. He also said Yediyurappa's resignation as CM contributed to the BJP's defeat.
Renukacharya also revealed that he had sought a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls next year.