Eshwarappa retreats into a shell

SHIMOGA: BJP state president K S Eshwarappa declined to react to former CM B S Yeddyurappa’s statement that he was plotting the latter’s ouster from the BJP.A shocked Eshwarappa did not come out of his house on Thursday, despite repeated requests from the media for an interaction, fearing that any reaction of his might lead to further trouble.Eshwarappa, who had returned from Bangalore in the morning, reportedly spent the rest of the day watching news channels for further developments.  At one stage, it is said that Eshwarappa locked himself up into a room, while trying to contact senior party leaders in the state unit.State party vice-president M B Bhanuprakash and state sports authority vice-president Girish Patel rushed to his house in the evening. Media persons, however, made futile attempts to get his reaction and even contacted his followers. Finally, Eshwarappa said that he would not react at the moment. His son, too, announced that the media would get a soundbyte on the morrow. Supporters of the state BJP president assembled in large numbers in front of his house. A few workers said that the party cannot survive without Yeddyurappa and Eshwarappa whose attitude would send the wrong signal to party workers.