Yeddy, infighting cost BJP dearly: BJP top brass

Several leaders among the BJP top brass today conceded the decision to remove B S Yeddyurappa from the chief minister's post and his subsequent decision to form his own party has been a major contributor, along with infighting, to their rout in Karnataka assembly poll.
The BJP Parliamentary Board met here this evening to discuss the reasons for the party's massive defeat in the southern state. BJP's first government in the South not only failed to retain power but was reeduced from 110 seats in the last assembly elections in 2007 to 40 seats this time.
While most leaders acknowledge that Yeddyurappa had his revenge in these elections by ensuring that BJP puts up a dismal performance, those who had insisted on the former chief minister's ouster from the top post were firm that there cannot be a compromise in the fight against corruption.

Yeddyurappa had to step down in July, 2011 after the Karnataka Lokayukta indicted him in a land graft case. He finally quit BJP in November, 2012 and formed KJP.
"Division of our votebase has affected us as also the image of a lack of unity within the party in Karnataka. Also, the fact that some of our leaders walked out of the party and some formed another party," BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said.